Another Chance
by nesting-seraph
Summary: He was so alone. He tried to shine. They didn't care enough. He cared too much, and lost everything. But forget the past; everyone gets another chance. Shonen-ai.
1. Another Day

**Welcome to Another Chance! For any new readers, hi.**

**For any old readers, this is Inspiration, revised and redone. The later chapters are almost identical to the originals, but the early ones... not so much. However, I hope this story has changed for the better and that you enjoy it as much as (I hope) you enjoyed the original. **

**P.S Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

**P.P.S I don't own any of the song lyrics either. Duh.**

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><p>The door shut with a loud bang. Ryou ran one hand through his dripping silver hair while the other fumbled with his coat buttons. The wind howled outside and the noise of the rain was almost deafening as it splattered against the firmly closed windows, but Ryou didn't really mind.<p>

_Anything, _he thought, _was better than silence._

The silence he should have gotten used to by now, but never had.

After finally removing his wet coat and shoes, he wandered into the kitchen. As usual, he didn't bother to read the note his mother had written, just crumpled it in his palm. Ryou guessed she didn't care.

He changed course from the kitchen to his bedroom, which was always a good place to go when he was alone in the house. He took the stairs three at a time, making short work of them with his long legs. As he reached the top, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Lily-white skin, wide eyes the colour of black coffee, long silvery hair. He grimaced. The mirror copied.

_Why do I have to look so_ _feminine?_

He mentally cursed his own prettiness. Eventually, sighing, he retreated to the small room that was his safe haven.

It was a simple room, with white walls, a small bed with a blue duvet, a wooden desk and a wardrobe. He had his own bathroom, which was a bonus, although it was not much larger than a cupboard. There were a few drawings pasted on the wall above his bed, some more scattered across his desk along with a pot of pencils and some watercolour paints, but that was about it.

Ryou had never been one for games.

At the age of sixteen, he was sweet, gentle and somewhat naive. He was quite shy with strangers and immensely disliked being the centre of attention. He much preferred anonymity. That didn't mean, however, that he did not want to be loved.

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><p>It had been a long time since Ryou had felt loved. He felt as though his parents provided for him out of duty, rather than anything more meaningful. His father was rarely around, and his mother was an extremely successful businesswoman, and spent her days dashing from meeting to office to dinner party, spending lavishly the money she earned. From a young age, Ryou had learned that he was not the first priority in their family, not by any stretch of the imagination.<p>

He had always been a little behind everyone else socially. Not that he tried to keep up. He was afraid of rejection. Rejection hurt more than anything else. When people went out of their way to be nice to him, he felt even more worthless. Like a charity case.

_Let's help Ryou because he's lonely._

_Let's be his friend because he has no-one else._

Ryou shook himself. It was at times like these, when Ryou felt so neglected, when his unhappiness threatened to overwhelm him that he truly didn't understand himself. All he wanted was a little bit of love. But for him, that love never seemed to come.

By the time his mother arrived home, Ryou was already asleep. It had been years since he'd sat up, waiting eagerly for her. He'd been convinced that one day she would transform into one of the people he'd seen outside school; warm, smiling, interested in the latest unrecognisable splatter of paint or junk model that their darling offspring had produced, rather than this cold, distant, frightening woman who couldn't care less about him.

She would gather him up in her arms and tell him she loved him.

He'd even thought his father might move back in.

At the age of about 6, he'd drawn a picture at school of himself, standing alone in front of their huge house. He remembered the conversation he'd had with the classroom assistant like it was recent.

_"Ryou, that's lovely, but why are you by yourself? What about Mummy and Daddy?"_

_To which he had replied "They're at work." _

_"Well, why don't you draw them with you, at the weekend?"_

_Ryou did so, and returned to the young woman at the end of the lesson. She noticed that the figures she assumed were his mother and father had downturned mouths._

_"Ryou, sweetheart. They don't look very happy." _

_"Of course they don't. They're with me." _

_The assistant didn't like to admit it, but she cried at that._

* * *

><p>School was a burden, and always had been for Ryou, him being shy and all. The prospect of another long day at school, being plagued by people he didn't like, and ignored by people he did was unappealing at the best of times, but being miserable and lonely just made matters worse. Ryou comforted himself with the thought that it was Friday, although it was freezing and overcast, with an icy wind that battered Ryou's frail form as he walked through Domino towards school. He was almost glad to arrive at the ugly building he spent most of his time in.<p>

"Domino High" the sign over the front office door proclaimed. _Great_, he thought. _Just great_. Then the bell rang shrilly, and he was forced to move on.

He turned around to start walking towards his first lesson, when he spotted a familiar group of people.

"Ryou!"

He turned away, feeling immensely guilty and kept on walking.

"Hey, Ryou! Over here."

Ryou turned back slowly, knowing what he was about to see.

Five people. Five lovely people, smiling at him. Five lovely people, pitying him.

"Hi there, Yuugi." Ryou gave a little wave, feeling completely humiliated.

"How are ya, man?" Joey Wheeler, a tall blonde with a strong Brooklyn accent laid a hand on his shoulder.

Ryou fought down the urge to recoil and instead smiled and lied.

"I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

This was good. The group began chattering about the previous weekend, meaning Ryou could step smartly out of the limelight and out of their conversation.

_Why was this so hard? _

_Why couldn't he just be grateful that someone wanted to talk to him, even if they were only doing it out of pity?_

"What do you think, Ryou?"

Ryou blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"Do you think Duel Monsters is gonna be big? I sure hope so. My room is being used as a store for the boxes of cards, and I really don't want it to stay like that."

"Maybe you could stand on the boxes, Yuug. It might make you a normal height."

The group laughed. Ryou just looked at the ground, feeling as awkward as ever.

"Ryou? Are you okay?"

Ryou glanced up, only to see Anzu watching him, pretty eyes laced with concern.

Ryou had had enough for one day.

"I...I have to go." Ryou backed away from the cluster of people, who were now watching him confusedly.

"Well, it was nice talking to you!" Yuugi called, beaming.

"Yeah..." Ryou said quietly as he walked towards his first lesson, Science. "Because I'm obviously worth talking to."

"What's up with that guy?" he heard Tristan Taylor say, rather loudly. The rest of the group shushed him violently.

"You're so obnoxious, Tristan!" Serenity chastised.

_That's right. _

_Don't talk about Ryou. _

_He doesn't like it._

* * *

><p>It was only after he had walked away that he realised he shared his Science lesson with all of the people he had just left, except Serenity.<p>

_Could I have made it any more obvious that I was ditching them?_

That was all he could think about as he ran towards his classroom, but when he burst through the science lab door, a cold fear descended upon him.

"Mr Pegasus!" he gasped in alarm. Noticing the clock on the wall next to the whiteboard, he swallowed. 9.05. He'd been so preoccupied with making sure Yuugi and Co didn't catch him lurking behind the science block, obviously trying to avoid them, that he'd lost track of time. Mr Pegasus seemed to take great joy in dishing out punishments and verbal abuse. Consequently, he was one of Ryou's least favourite teachers.

"Mr. Bakura. What time is it?" Pegasus said icily, putting down the cup of tea he seemed to be permanently drinking.

"Five past nine, sir."

"Are you stupid, Mr Bakura?"

"N-no, sir."

"Well then, you will know that my lesson started five minutes ago. Do you know that?"

"Yes sir."

"Well," Pegasus smirked and leaned back in his chair. "I have deduced that you have deliberately been late for my lesson, seeing as you know that it started five minutes ago and there is no conceivable reason for you to have been late. So now, I will punish you."

Ryou's legs turned to jelly. There was no telling what Pegasus would tell him to do. From 4 hours after school detention, to making him tea, to... There were many disgusting rumours about Mr Pegasus' "special detentions". Ryou had always dismissed them as foolish, but standing there on the receiving end, he felt they could be true.

"You will have detention after school today. Don't even think about skipping." Someone snickered. Ryou glanced up. A dozen pairs of eyes looked away abruptly. Yuugi gave him a pitying look. Ryou looked down.

_What_ _is it about me that everyone wants to protect? That everyone feels bad for?_

He thought as he went to sit next to a girl with waist length blonde hair and hollow eyes. Ryou's eyes went to her wrists, which were deformed by long pink scars. Ryou sighed. Slitting his wrists didn't sound so bad right about now. Maybe if he was dead people might stop feeling bad for him.

"Now, we are going to begin our lesson. Today, we are doing dissections!" Pegasus' eyes glinted. "What is a dissection?" He asked the class.

Ryou paled slightly. _This_ _day just gets better and better._

"It's when you cut something open, sir. A living thing," someone answered.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" Pegasus barked. "You don't cut open live animals, fool!"

The class continued to discuss dissection while Ryou stared at a patch of ceiling in the corner of the classroom. It had greenish mould growing on it.

_How lovely_.

"Mr Bakura! What is so interesting about the ceiling?" Ryou jumped. "Stand up."

Ryou stood up, feeling self conscious with the twenty nine pairs of eyes trained on him once again.

"Who will have Mr Bakura in their work group?"

Ryou felt ill. He had been so distracted; he hadn't noticed people getting into groups. _I don't have a single friend in this class_ He said to himself. _I'll be working on my own, again._

"Ryou can join our group!" Yuugi announced brightly. Ryou smiled weakly at him as Pegasus handed him a dissection knife. Ryou found his hands were trembling. He felt faint. Ryou detested anything to do with bodies. Blood, guts, detached limbs. Ryou shuddered. He didn't even like cooking with meat.

He wandered over to the table where his adoptive group stood, tripping slightly on someone's bag. Pegasus was going around putting a covered tray on each table, practically skipping with glee. He loved upsetting students even more than he loved himself.

Yuugi looked up at Ryou and gave him a wide smile. Yuugi's wild tricoloured hair and diminutive size made him an object of much speculation in the school. But he had friends, his tight knit group of fun loving, happy people. He was loved, he had his grandfather. Ryou was insanely jealous of him.

"Joey, you take the top off!" Anzu whined. "It'll be _gross_!"

"Oh no, blooood!" Tristan cried in a mocking falsetto. Anzu slapped him playfully in response.

Joey grabbed hold of the plastic top and pulled it off.

"Eww!" Anzu squealed, covering her eyes. The smell of blood hit Ryou hard. He tried to shut his eyes, but caught a glimpse of glistening red meat and the maroon bloodstains on the white tray. He heard somebody gasp as the room span sickeningly, and Ryou fainted.

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><p>"<em>Back on the dance floor, bad enough to take me home. Bass kicking so hard, blazing through my beating heart!" <em>

_The song echoed loudly in the small room, while the baseline made the floor vibrate and sent shivers up Ryou's spine. Ryou was standing in a club, all flashing strobe lights and swaying bodies. Among the crowd, he spotted people he recognised, but he made no effort to reach them. He was happy just to be there, alone but surrounded. There were also people he didn't know, unfamiliar faces. He caught a glimpse of wild, spiked hair and, for a split second, slanted crimson eyes staring right at him. _

_Suddenly, the walls flew away from him, the people vanished. He was standing on a pillar, and below him danced a sea of red flames. They seemed to sing enticingly as they crept up the pillar towards him, forming shapes. Love hearts, flowers, birds, plants. Ryou was entranced. A resounding voice from above called out "You will burn in the fire of hell!" _

"_Burn with lust..." hissed the voices from below. A vocal collage reached his ears. A collage of many songs that Ryou had heard in the past. _

"_I want to find you, tear out all your tenderness...babe, pick a night to come out and play...It's like the darkness is light...I can't feel it, I wanna feel it. Harder, harder, harder! AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FACE IT, YOU'RE ADDICTED TO LOVE!"_

_It was so unreal. Love, love, love. And then, the most vivid part of the dream so far. A man appeared, randomly sitting inches from Ryou, back turned. All Ryou could see of him was his tanned back, and wild blonde hair, tinged reddish from the feverishly dancing flames below. The man spoke so quietly Ryou had to listen hard, but the three words were seared into his memory. "Just say yes."_

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><p>Ryou woke up in the school's sickbay, in a cold sweat, heart hammering in his chest. He was lying on his back with a rather unpleasant view of the blotchy, dirty ceiling.<p>

_I wonder if they thought it was amusing, putting sick-coloured wallpaper in a sick room_, Ryou thought drily as he sat up, feeling all the blood rush to his head.

A clattering of boxes announced the arrival of the nurse, Amy. Ryou gave her an angelic smile, which was a rare but beautiful thing. Out of all the adults in the school, the young disorganised nurse was Ryou's favourite, because she treated him like a real person, rather than a burden that had been foisted upon her. Ryou was always flattered that, after spending her day dealing with crying, vomiting, grouchy, germ-ridden teenagers sent from their lessons to the infirmary, she still deemed him important enough to bother with whenever he found himself in the sick room, which was often.

Ryou was rather prone to injury. He wasn't particularly delicate, just unlucky. It didn't help that some people thought it amusing to trip people in the corridors and Ryou was often in his own little dream world and so didn't think to avoid the outstretched leg or dodge the not-so-gentle shoulder barges that were flung around during lunch break. Amy returned his smile.

_He's a strange one, _she thought_, but so sweet. _

Ryou generally felt slightly pathetic, knowing the nurse's shallow kindness meant more to him than anything. She probably went home to her family, her boyfriend, whatever, and forgot he even existed, while he clung on to every kind word aimed at him like it were gold dust. When he was alone, he replayed these moments in his mind to keep him sane_._

_It's not working_... the sceptic in his mind kept telling him, _you need to get a grip!_

"Ryou? You best get back to lessons now. One more hour, and then we'll both be free, eh?" Amy winked at him.

"Oh...ok." Ryou had been trying in vain to shake the image of the mysterious man from his mind. He was so...enticing. And so real. For some reason, Ryou couldn't rid himself of the notion that the man might not just be a figment of his imagination. However, he did have last period, Social Studies, to worry about.

"Erm...Ryou?" Ryou glanced up to see Amy by the door, keys in hand. He quickly moved outside the office.

"Good luck, Ryou. Damn, if anyone needs it, you do." Amy said, smiling. She turned and walked away, flat shoes making no noise on the cheap carpet. Ryou took off, hoping to get to his next lesson before the register closed.

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><p>The first thing Ryou noticed as he entered the room, was the lack of noise. He stood by the door, looking around for his seat.<p>

_Great, right at the front_.

Ryou began to walk across the room, feeling the eyes on him.

_Did you hear? He fainted when they were doing dissections._

_Really? Poor him. Do you think he has some kind of problem?_

_Nah. He's just a pussy._

Their social studies teacher, Miss Valentine, was glaring at him, her red lips pressed into a disapproving line. She was a top heavy, platinum-blonde woman in her early 50's who never wore anything that wasn't tight and aimed at women half her age. She was lax when it came to rules, but not when it came to her own opinions. Her best feature was her daughter, who was extremely pretty and had half the boys in the school lusting over her.

As Ryou sat down he found himself thinking about how the school desperately needed some new teachers.

Miss Valentine walked up to the whiteboard.

"As you know," she said, "we have been studying relationships this term. We're now moving on to talking about romantic relationships. Now, no need to laugh." She directed the latter comment at Joey, who was laughing along with Tristan and gesturing something that was obviously to do with breasts_._

_He doesn't get it,_ Ryou thought despairingly. _None of them do. This is probably the most useful thing we're ever going to learn in school, and all they can do is laugh and stare at Miss Valentine's cleavage. _

"There are lots of different types of romantic relationships. Shall we list a few?"

As the class volunteered contributions, Ryou drifted into a daydream. Suddenly, something hit him on the back of the head. He twisted sharply and saw it was a piece of paper, screwed up.

On the back, there was a note. Ryou recognised Yuugi's neat block capitals instantly.

_I hope you're okay now. Don't do that again, it was scary! _

_I gave Mr Pegasus your homework for you. I hope that's okay. _

Ryou briefly felt grateful that Yuugi insisted on looking after him.

He turned the note over, intending to write back, and noticed it was the remains of a permission slip.

Year 12* Trip to Domino Arts College 

Ryou groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. _Another day, another pointless school trip._

Little did he know, this particular trip was going to change his life.

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><p>The bell rang shrilly, jolting Ryou from his vague daydreaming. He half-smiled to himself.<p>

_End of the day! _

He shoved his book unceremoniously into his bag, jumped up from his seat and walked quickly out into the corridor. The journey from the classroom to the school gates took about five minutes. On Friday, there was always a feverish buzz in the air.

The happiness of two days freedom. That "Friday feeling". That was what put the slight spring in Ryou's step as he walked alongside the metal fencing outside school towards home.

As he neared his house, he noticed the atmosphere change drastically. There were no students sitting on walls and talking or children chasing each other too close to the road. There weren't even any fallen leaves to kick.

The wind always seemed colder on this side of town.

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><p><strong>P.P.S Year 12= 11th Grade or 16-17yrs :D Good Old Wikipedia.<strong>

**Thank you for reading! **

**Reviews? Thanks!**

**Kal277**


	2. Another Hand

**Hello everyone!**

**For the olds: This is now Chapter 2. It was Chapter 3 in the original, but after editing Chapter 2 was so short it was pointless on its own, so I combined it with Chapter 1. But you already knew that, right?**

**I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

**You knew that too.**

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><p>It was raining hard, and at three in the morning Domino was quiet in its wet haze. A solitary taxi rolled along the road. On one steamed up window, one tan finger traced a smiley face in the condensation. The owner of the finger watched the rain-drenched streets of Domino flash past, orange in the street lights. Then the taxi jerked, and Malik's head turned involuntarily. He saw his sister Ishizu sitting in the seat next to him, wrapped in the arms of her boyfriend, Aaron. He couldn't stop the scowl smothering his peaceful features as his sister spoke quietly to Aaron and ignored him, in her own little bubble of bliss.<p>

Malik knew it was ridiculous to take their affection for each other personally, but it was difficult not to. His sister's new boyfriend made no secret of his disdain and disapproval of him, and he responded by being as annoying and difficult as possible. Plus, he had absolutely no idea what she saw in him. He was a great hulk of a guy with a bad temper, imbecilic friends and a drinking problem.

At least, that was Malik's opinion.

He wasn't surprised his adopted brother Odion had chosen to stay home.

Malik crossed his legs and pulled his hands into the sleeves of his hoodie, slanted lilac eyes glaring from beneath bright blonde bangs and his anger at being separated from the only home he knew resurfacing.

After a few minutes of awkward driving, the taxi slowed outside a grubby block of flats, its front wheel clipping the kerb as it braked. Malik peered out of the steamed up window, after decapitating the smiley face with a swipe of his hand.

"Overflowing bins, check. Graffiti, check. Rats and tramps..." Malik turned around and glared at Ishizu and Aaron. "...yep, check. Right, that settles it. This place is officially a dump."

"Your sister is not a tramp." Aaron growled.

"Actually, you were the tramp. Coming and moving in with us, sponging off our money. Ishizu was a rat, sneaking around arranging surprise migrations halfway across the world without telling me!" Malik snapped. By now the awkward group were standing out in the rain, looking up at their new home.

"Let's go, Aaron." Ishizu sighed, giving Malik an exasperated look. They walked off, with Malik trailing behind them, rain running down his face and dripping onto the ground like a mockery of tears.

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><p>Trying to ignore the overpowering damp smell of the corridor, Malik listened as they walked along, trying to find their flat. A little snippet of life seeped beneath each firmly closed door.<p>

A baby wailing in 11A. Canned laughter from a cheap comedy programme in 25A. Something shattered as he walked past 2B and he paused to listen to the buzz of whispered obscenities that followed, drowning out the arguing couple next door. The noises coming from 13B made him blush.

_So much for unlucky 13._

21B was at the end of the corridor. The white door was no different to the others, except for the fact that it was silent. The room was empty.

Not for long, though.

"Here we are!"

Ishizu's smile was embarrassingly forced; Malik felt bad for her, knowing that she hated the travelling and the stress but also knowing that she had no choice.

Malik took in every detail of their new house as they walked through the front door. It was tiny. There was a main room, two bedrooms coming straight off it, a kitchen just around the corner and a bathroom the size of a cupboard.

_Great._

Malik dragged his solitary bag towards the smallest bedroom, the strap cutting into his hand. To his surprise, he liked it. One single bed was pressed against the wall beneath one perfectly square window, and one white shelf on the wall next to the door was just begging to be filled with clutter.

Lots of single things. Perfect for one single person.

Malik slumped down on the bed and leaned against the window, breath misting the glass, eyes reflecting the lights of a dozen flat windows, watching the city throb and glitter. He shifted slightly, and unzipped his hoodie, folding his knees into his chest and pressing his feet into the bare mattress. He stayed there until he fell asleep.

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><p>The next morning, Ishizu was woken by the delightful sound of Malik yelling at the top of his voice.<p>

"Agh! God, that's cold!" Malik recoiled from the icy shower in shock. "Shitty apartment..." he muttered limply, watching goosebumps come up on his tan arms. He couldn't be bothered to wait for the water to heat up, so he pulled on his jeans and went to search the kitchen cupboards for food.

"Ishizu! Where's the food?"

"In the kitchen." Ishizu walked into the living room. Malik was sitting on the kitchen counter, applying his eyeliner and using the back of a spoon for a mirror. "Well, duh." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Get off the counter. And stop wearing my eyeliner!" Ishizu snapped. She opened one of the cupboards and, lo and behold, there were some boxes of cereal.

"What's this, if it's not food?" Ishizu asked sarcastically, taking a box of muesli and raising one perfectly disapproving eyebrow at Malik.

Malik shrugged and jumped down from the counter.

"Didn't search that one" he said, snatching the box. As usual, Ishizu noted, Malik didn't have all his clothes on. She decided this would be a good time to tell him off.

"Malik, are you allergic to shirts?" she said to him. He was now eating muesli straight from the box, getting more on the floor than in his mouth.

"Pig," she said.

"No bowls. Saves washing up. No shirt, saves washing," he grunted. He looked up at her, mouth stretching into a grin. "If you raise your eyebrow any higher, you might lose it."

"Shut up."

It may not have seemed like it, but it was at these times that the two siblings were closest. They were fighting, sure, but at least they weren't actually angry. It was when the boyfriend came on the scene that the atmosphere became cold and awkward.

"Malik..."

"What?"

"You need to stop being so rude to Aaron."

Malik snorted derisively. "Because he's such a gentleman to me. He's so kind and understanding! And not at all prejudiced and judgemental."

"Malik. Don't spoil things for me, please. This is our chance to make a new start after what Dad..."

"Don't talk about him."

"Fine. But Malik, just...please?"

Malik scowled. "He's a complete homophobe."

"He'll come round."

"Yeah. We'll see."

Then there was a yawn and some thudding footsteps. Aaron appeared in the doorway, wearing no shirt. Malik smirked. He knew who looked better.

"Morning, Ishizu!" Aaron said, ignoring Malik. "Where's the muesli?"

"Malik finished it." Ishizu said, with a hint of a smile.

"Oh, typical. Well, what am I supposed to eat, eh? Keep your little sister off my food in the future, Ishizu," he said.

Malik smiled icily and gave Ishizu a look which clearly meant 'I told you so'. He was well used to Aaron's obnoxious stabs at his feminine tendencies.

"Hey, Aaron. Guess what?" Malik asked, smiling sweetly. Ishizu knew Malik well enough to see the nasty side of him stir behind his lilac eyes, like a viper raising its head.

Aaron only grunted, as blind as ever.

"It's my seventeenth birthday soon."

"Really. Well, after that, maybe you can start thinking about moving out," Aaron said, deadly serious. "Maybe if you're good enough, you can get a job in some shop."

"I'm going to college. Art college. And, as the 'man' of the house, _you_ should be paying my tuition fees," Malik said, knowing money was a taboo subject with the bankrupt man.

_Come on, then. Do your worst._

"Yeah. In your dreams, kid!" Aaron glowered, and a feeling of satisfaction settled in Malik's chest.

_Nope. Not with Ishizu listening, you pathetic coward._

Malik turned to Ishizu. "While you're at your dance show this afternoon, can I go out? I wanna buy cakes."

In particular, doughnuts. Doughnuts were Malik's guilty pleasure. He could just imagine their chewy, jammy, sugar coated goodness. But of course, Aaron had to ruin it.

"Oh no, you don't. You're grounded!" said Aaron, pleased to be denying Malik his pastry treats.

"Grounded for what?"

Aaron paused, evidently searching through the cobwebby recesses of his brain for a decent excuse.

"Malik!" Ishizu said, throwing him a half-hearted glare. "Don't argue. You are coming to the dance show with us."

Ishizu felt her gut twist as she watched a cold mask settle itself on her brother's face; keeping the peace could have some truly unpleasant consequences.

* * *

><p>Ryou sat down heavily on the bus, heaving a huge sigh. They were about to drive to the other side of Domino for the trip to the dance show, and Ryou wasn't looking forward to it; the journeys to and from least of all. Spending thirty minutes on a musty smelling coach with his classmates was bad enough, but he knew that after the show he would have to walk the hour's journey home. Trying not to think about that, he put his headphones in and started listening to his IPod, losing himself in the music.<p>

By the time they actually arrived, the dance show was about to start. His class piled into the theatre, making a ridiculous amount of noise as they did so. Ryou found himself sitting next to a short, acne-ridden boy and a complete stranger. A stranger who appeared to be completely uninterested in the show. They were wearing a grey jumper with the hood pulled up, which was all Ryou could really see in the dim lights of the theatre. He soon lost interest and turned back to face the stage.

The dancers were good, the music was infectious, and the coloured lights were still dancing in Ryou's eyes as the show finished and his class clapped and whooped their approval. Ryou vaguely heard his teacher announce that they could leave or wait for their parents to pick them up. The class started to trickle out of the theatre, chattering loudly as usual. The person next to Ryou stood suddenly. Ryou shifted his legs out of the way. The person didn't acknowledge him, just walked quickly down the stairs and disappeared backstage.

Ryou sighed, and stood to leave as well, realising he was the last person left in the seats. Then he noticed a canvas bag lying on the floor underneath the seat next to him. Being the Good Samaritan, Ryou picked the bag up.

_It belongs to that person who was sitting next to me, _he realised. He knew it would make him late, but decided to go backstage to see if the person was still there somewhere.

Behind the double doors that the stranger had gone through, Ryou walked along a small untidy corridor, littered with old props and bits of costumes, old spotlights tangled with wires hanging from the ceiling. He almost tripped on a mop and bucket that were propped against a door. Ryou began to feel as though he was in some kind of messy theatrical _maze, _but all of a sudden he came to what looked like a changing room.

After opening the door as quietly as he could, he could see the stranger was sitting there, head in hands. Ryou stopped, thinking he should just leave the bag there and go, when the door he had swung open closed, whacking him on the back of the head as it attempted to close around him.

"Ow!" Ryou cried out without thinking. The person looked up, hood falling down to reveal the stranger's face.

Ryou saw him properly for the first time. It was a him, that was obvious now. He was striking, no doubt about it. With that cinnamon tan and bright blonde hair, he was definitely unique and probably gorgeous. He was also crying, mascara stains dirty against his cheeks and purple eyes glowing. He sniffed.

"What?" he said, in that hoarse, I've-just-been-crying voice.

Ryou flushed. Some random stranger had just witnessed his act of extreme klutziness, and he had walked in on this stranger crying. All in five seconds.

"Erm... Sorry! I just came to return your bag."

Malik glanced from the boy to the bag he was clutching limply in his right hand.

"Thanks," Malik sighed. He leaned his head on his hands and gazed blankly at the floor. The boy stood awkwardly just inside the door.

"Are you okay?" he asked, shyly. Not in the way some people would have asked, as though they had to, but with a genuine, naive curiosity.

"Not really."

"What happened?"

_Wow, he gets to the point. _Malik thought. _I really want to tell him, whoever he is. My crappy family life needs to come out into the open at some point. And I'd rather some stranger than a nosey friend or neighbour._

"Well, this happened." Malik pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and held it up for the boy to see.

_Malik,_

_Gone out for meal. Be back later. DON'T COME ALONG. _

_Ishizu + Aaron_

The boy winced as he read the note, his face crumpling slightly.

"Ouch. That's harsh," he said sympathetically. "Well, join the club, I suppose. I haven't exactly got a lift out of here either."

"It's not the lack of a lift home that bothers me. It's the fact that they really don't want me around. Well, I would have expected nothing better from Aaron, but Ishizu..." Malik trailed off. He didn't want to admit it, but it hurt like hell knowing that his own sister wasn't even going to make an effort to stand up to her boyfriend for his sake.

"So your name's Malik, right? Are you new around? I haven't seen you in school," the boy asked, in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

"Yep. Malik, the newbie, the freak, the oddball. As usual. My sister is always moving house with her dance troupe and I'm just an extra piece of baggage for her to lug around. And you are...?" Malik looked up at his companion curiously.

"Ryou Bakura. I've been living here all my life and half my class don't even know my name," Ryou said, smiling ruefully.

"Ha. What a pair, eh?"

Ryou glanced at his watch. "Four? I really need to go soon."

Malik's face fell slightly. "Do you have to go?"

Ryou was surprised by the question. It was totally alien, someone actually wanting him to be around.

"Well... it'll take me a long time to get home. It looks like it's gonna rain." Ryou's argument was feeble. He didn't even know why he was trying to get away. He should have been jumping for joy, crying with happiness, offering to stay for as long as Malik wanted because he was so desperate for a friend.

He supposed it was because he knew that as soon as Malik got to know him, he would abandon him. Like someone discovering a new toy has no batteries.

"Please stay." Malik saturated the request with as much of his loneliness as he could muster. He even threw in the tiniest hint of lust, feeling terribly deceitful as he did so.

"I don't know..." Ryou was wavering.

"Hey, I know! You could come to my house," Malik said, abandoning his smouldering facade. "It'll be fun, I promise! I need you to tell me where I can find out about Domino High. I'm starting there on Monday."

"I go to that school. It's the only school in this city," Ryou said, fighting down the urge to shriek girlishly at this news.

"Really? Oh, thank God for that!" Malik leapt up from his seat and placed a hand lightly on Ryou's arm. "You have to come round now!"

"I... okay."

Normally Ryou might have put up more resistance, but he was distracted momentarily by the tan hand that was now loosely gripping his own. He felt heat rise to his face as he realised this, and found himself thinking.

_Should I hold tighter?_

_This isn't what two guy friends (strangers!) normally do, is it?_

_Should I let go? _

_...I hope my hand isn't sweaty. _

But before Ryou could do anything, the hand withdrew and buried itself firmly in his companions pocket. Internally, he mourned the loss.

* * *

><p>The short walk to Malik's house passed quickly, Ryou soaking up Malik's bubbly chatter like the sunlight pouring between the trees as they crossed Domino Park.<p>

"You probably think I'm a complete freak, asking you over after five minutes," Malik said, chuckling. His eyes gleamed in the sun, translucently purple. Ryou often found himself staring into those eyes as they were talking.

"No. Of course not."

"Liar. You're lying. But I don't mind being a freak."

Eventually they came to a square, ugly block of flats, all dull, rust coloured bricks and plastic window frames. Malik started up the steps that led inside the building. Ryou followed, taking in the scenery. He wasn't familiar with this side of Domino at all.

Which, he privately decided, was probably a good thing.

"Here we are. Home sweet home!" Malik said brightly as they walked down the damp smelling corridor with a rather hideous green carpet. There was no hiding the undertone of bitterness in his voice.

As they walked along, an elderly couple emerged from 13B.

"Good morning!" they said.

"Good morning." Malik answered, with a strange expression on his face. After they had gone, he burst out laughing.

"What?" Ryou asked

"Oh God...Nothing, it's just..." Malik dissolved into giggles once more, and Ryou gave up.

They entered flat 21B, Malik flinging open the door and throwing his bag onto the small sofa. Ryou took off his shoes, privately wondering how three people could be living in a house the size of his front room.

_Maybe I'm just lucky. He's probably used to it by now. _Ryou thought, feeling slightly guilty that their huge house was wasted on a family of two.

"Want a drink?" Malik asked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind his ear. He had evidently recovered from his giggling fit.

Ryou jumped. "Erm... yes please. What do you have?"

"Tea, coffee, water, orange juice..." Malik said, rattling off a list of beverages as he wandered around the kitchen.

"...Beer, vodka, wine, eggnog..."

"Eggnog?" Ryou giggled uncertainly.

"Kidding." Malik grinned at him. Ryou's eyes wandered to the calendar on the wall behind him. Someone had circled one of the days in a rainbow of glittery gel pens and written 'Malik's BDay!' in huge purple letters.

"It's your birthday soon?" Ryou asked.

"Yes! I'm going to be seventeen. I don't think I'll be having a party though. I don't know any hot boys or girls in this town." Malik turned around from the tea he'd decided to make and winked at Ryou. "Except you, of course."

Ryou blushed. "Yeah, right."

"Silly Ryou. Look in the mirror once in a while. Not that I fancy you, of course."

Ryou tried not to be flattered, but failed miserably.

"You know, our old house wasn't this small," Malik said, turning to face Ryou, a mug in each hand.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It wasn't a mansion or anything, but...it was nice, you know? It was home." Malik frowned and began pouring water into the two mugs.

Ryou sighed.

_If only I knew..._

He looked away, suddenly feeling decidedly miserable.

Malik noticed his expression. "Hey, what's up?"

Ryou turned back, instinctively pulling his face into a fake smile. "Oh, nothing!"

Malik gave him a disbelieving look and thumped the kettle down on the counter. "Oh really? I may not be the most intelligent person, but I'm not _stupid_."

"Ok. It's not nothing. It's just not important," Ryou said, looking down at his feet. Malik smiled at him, his bad mood gone in an instant.

"Well, good! This is _way_ too heavy for me," Malik suddenly reached over and grabbed him by the arm.

Again.

"Come on. You have to tell me about Domino High. I want to know everything. Teachers, students, food."

Ryou found himself being dragged unceremoniously across the living room and into what appeared to be Malik's bedroom.

"It's tiny, I know," Malik said, not sounding in the least apologetic. He pushed Ryou down onto the bed and then sat down next to him. The bed creaked loudly.

"It doesn't sound like it can support two people," Ryou said nervously, glancing down. Sure, it seemed stable, but he didn't want to go to someone's house and start breaking things.

"Of course it can support two people. What do you use your bed for? Sleeping?"

"What el – oh!" Ryou suddenly realised what Malik had been implying, and felt himself flush. Malik burst out laughing.

"Oh, you're blushing! How cute." He pinched Ryou's cheek, which didn't help with the blushing problem.

"This is so embarrassing..." Ryou whined, covering his face. "Don't look at me."

"Rosy cheeks are cute."

"Ugh." Ryou shook his head vigorously.

"You're so funny, Ryou. Lucky I left my bag in the theatre, eh? Otherwise I might never have found you."

Ryou removed his hands from his face so he could look at his companion properly. Had he really heard what he thought he'd just heard?

"You're actually glad you met me?" he asked uncertainly.

"Well, duh. Why wouldn't I be? You seem nice enough."

"I'm not very interesting," Ryou mumbled, looking down at his knees. This confident, funny person couldn't possibly want to be his friend. Not really.

_He'd been trying not to think about that._

"Who cares? I'm interesting enough for both of us!" Malik said jokingly, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Ryou wouldn't be cheered up. "As soon as you meet someone better, you won't want to hang out with me anymore."

"Don't be so pessimistic."

"I'm not being pessimistic; I'm being realistic." Malik winced at the bitterness in Ryou's voice. It was clear he was talking from past experience.

"Whoever's done that before... I'm not like them. I don't give up on people."

"But you will. I know you will. It doesn't matter how nice you are, or how nice you think you are. When it comes to Ryou, no one even cares." Ryou stumbled over the words in his hurry to get them out; he hadn't even realised he was going to say them.

"It doesn't matter about anyone else. I'm not like that. I swear."

"Yeah, right. My own _parents_ are like that, and they're supposed to love me unconditionally."

Malik frowned.

Ryou could feel himself welling up, but fought it down. He was _not_ going to cry. Especially not for his parents, who he hadn't cried over in years.

Something about revealing his emotions made everything more real. For all his life he'd bottled up everything he'd felt, but now the bottle had shattered.

And broken bottles can be sharp.

He bowed his head and looked away, not seeing the boxes stacked up in the corner of Malik's room, but remembering.

Birthdays, Christmas, meals, school, parties.

Times when Ryou should have been happy.

Like today. He should be happy being with Malik, but instead, he was practically crying.

_Poor Ryou, Malik was probably thinking. _

_He'll probably ask me, very quietly, whether I want to go home. I'll say yes. _

_Then he'll ask if I want him to walk me. I'll say no. _

_And then I'll walk home by myself. As usual. _

And then everything will go back to normal.

"Oh, for God's sake, come here."

Ryou felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around him from behind. Malik leaned his head on Ryou's shoulder, resting his chest against Ryou's back. It was slightly awkward, but mostly just comforting. Ryou found himself leaning backwards into the hug, despite his initial surprise.

"Are you crying?" Malik asked cautiously.

"No."

"Good. I'm awful if anyone cries. I'm no use at all."

Ryou tried to move, but Malik had him trapped. He felt Malik's laugh vibrate through his back.

"Oh no, you don't. You aren't going anywhere until you start being happy!" Malik chirped.

"You'll have to keep me here for a while, then," Ryou muttered, wiping his eyes. He could feel his previous shyness returning now that he was done pouring his heart onto the carpet.

"I won't. I'm the resident ray of sunshine. Just think about me, and how awesome I am. That'll cheer you up."

Ryou couldn't help it. He laughed at that.

"See! Point proven," Malik said triumphantly, poking Ryou in the side. "Now shift, Rosy. It's time to do something else."

"Rosy?"

"Oh yes."

"Please don't call me that at school."

"I'll try."

Ryou sighed, smiling, and stood up, Malik having finally released him. He caught sight of a clock on Malik's dresser. The time didn't really register at first, the clock being draped in necklaces, but after a few seconds of squinting, Ryou's eyes widened in horror.

"Quarter to six?" he yelped. "I _really_ have to go now!"

_Where the hell did all that time go? _He asked himself as he dashed from Malik's room towards the front door. It took all of three seconds.

_Well, that's one advantage of having a small house,_ he thought as he pulled on his shoes.

His mother was always home at the weekends, and this would be the first time in about seven years he hadn't been there to greet her like a little automaton, pretty and lifeless.

"Bye Malik! Sorry!" he said as he ran out the door.

"So I'll see you at school on Monday?" Malik asked, running a few paces after him.

"Sure! Definitely," Ryou said, waving as he dashed down the stairs.

It was already dark outside, and the chill of winter was just starting to settle in. Ryou's breath misted as he sprinted across the road and towards the bus station.

"Ryou!"

He stopped and turned. He could see Malik hanging out of the window of his flat.

"What?" he yelled back.

"You didn't drink your tea!" The sound of Malik's indignant wail had Ryou giggling to himself as he set of again towards home, happier than he had been in a long time.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**I love reviews...hint hint. Please? **

**CC is greatly appreciated (although I get plenty from my Beta, FIVER)!**

**Kal277 x**


	3. Another Jewel

**Well, hi! **

**This chapter hasn't changed much since the original (nowhere near as much as the previous two), but I hope you like it! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh. Obviously.**

* * *

><p>Beep.<p>

Beep.

Beep.

Ryou woke on the fourth electronic chime of his alarm clock, the image of the wild haired man fading from his eyes. It was 8.00am and despite the watery sunlight seeping through the window, the winter chill was evident in the small room. Ryou was laying there under the duvet, coming back to life slowly, when all the emotions of the previous few weeks filled him from head to toe, like he was sinking into a warm bath.

He allowed himself to grin into his pillow, relishing the sensation of being happy for a change. He knew he was going to get a grilling from his mother because of his lateness last night, but this didn't faze him at all. All he could think about was Malik.

Malik, with his permanent grin and boundless energy.

A friend.

Ryou clambered out of bed, stretching, shivering when his bare skin was exposed to the cold air. Catching sight of his reflection in the mirror, he laughed quietly. His long white hair was a tangled mess after a whole night tossing and turning, caught tight in the hold of his recurring dream. As usual, he wandered into the bathroom to have his shower. Under the hot water, he always felt his most relaxed. His thoughts wandered aimlessly. He would normally spend the day drawing, painting or reading. It was a while since he'd been out at the weekend to do anything other than grocery shopping. When his father visited once in a while the family of three would go out to a restaurant or hotel for dinner, but these were occasions Ryou would rather forget. His parents would spend the evening eating ridiculously expensive dishes and discussing Ryou as though he wasn't there. But today, he would be doing something fun for a change.

The previous few weeks had been the best weeks of his life. Having Malik in school had changed everything. He no longer sat alone in lessons or at lunch. He had someone to talk to when Math got too boring, someone to share his annoyance at a difficult assignment or lost stationery. To anyone else, it would seem like the most mundane thing in the world, but Ryou had learned not to take anything for granted, especially when it involved friendship.

But the best thing of all was the fact that people had stopped feeling bad for him. It was like Malik was a switch that turned off the dripping tap of pity. Instead, people were jealous, or curious.

It had been funny, the first time Ryou realised what an effect Malik was having on people. It was Malik's second day in school, and the pair were sitting on the benches outside the canteen in an attempt to keep out of the wind.

"_Hey, Ryou. Ryou!"_

_Ryou looked up from his sandwiches. "Yes?" _

"_Those girls are staring at us. Are they your stalkers or something?"_

"_Don't be paranoid." Ryou glanced up and was surprised to see that the girls really were staring at them. They turned away in a fit of giggles when they realised he'd seen them._

"_Well?" Malik asked, looking for answers from behind his somewhat windswept bangs._

"_I don't know. Maybe they fancy you."_

"_Well, that's too bad for them. I don't play for their team."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yeah. You're okay with that, right?" Malik asked half-jokingly, as if the idea that Ryou was anything but okay was ridiculous._

"_I-Of course! I mean, it would be a bit hypocritical if I wasn't..." Ryou trailed off as he realised what he'd just said._

"_Oh! You too, hmm? I'm guessing no one knows." _

"_No. I actually didn't mean to tell you either, but I have a bad case of verbal diarrhoea."_

"_What, did you think I would report you?" Malik laughed, shoving Ryou playfully. _

"_No. It's just...please don't tell. If this ever gets back to my parents, they will actually disown me."_

_Malik winked, "Your secret is safe with me." _

"_Good. You know, those girls are still staring at you." Ryou pushed his fringe out of his eyes, feeling self conscious under their gaze. _

"_They're not very subtle, are they?" Malik waved at them and laughed when they turned away._

_They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. Then Malik asked the question they had both been thinking;_

"_How long do you think this is going to last?"_

"_Unless you do something truly disgusting, forever." Ryou decided._

"_Hmm...do you think they would leave me alone if I dated Mr Lawrence?" _

_An image of their bristly, somewhat overweight Maths teacher popped into Ryou's mind._

"_Ew. Don't even say that! My eyes are burning."_

_Malik laughed again, the sound infectious. _

"_Malik, you've spoiled my innocence."_

"_Uh-oh. Sorry."_

"Ryou!"

Ryou jumped. He soon realised that he had been standing there, naked and daydreaming, for about half an hour!

"Ryou! Hurry up!" His mother barked.

He got dressed quickly and rushed downstairs, tying his damp hair up as he went.

His mother sat there at the end of the dining room table, the picture of perfection. Her hair perfectly sculpted into a midnight black bob, each nail gleaming and manicured, dressed in a formal jacket and skirt. At that moment her face was one of irritation. Ryou awkwardly smoothed his shirt, feeling woefully inadequate.

"Ryou. This is _not_ a good start to the day. We are going to be discussing your... _tardiness_ yesterday over breakfast." She folded her arms and indicated for Ryou to sit. A solitary grapefruit half sat there on a plate. A substantial breakfast indeed. Not.

Ryou's good mood evaporated. Being late to any meal was just asking for a lecture, and being late to an already- planned lecture was plain stupid. His chances of getting out today were shrinking by the minute and they had been slim to start with. If he'd been going to an art gallery or to the theatre it would have been different, but going out to see Malik? Somehow, Ryou guessed his mother would be less than pleased with that idea.

"Ryou. As you know, I have very high expectations of you. A boy of your intelligence is perfectly able to get a good, highly regarded job, a nice house and to marry a nice woman and have a family. But gallivanting off to God-knows-where for hours on end is no way to help yourself!" she said angrily.

"I was only gone for a few hours."

"Gone where, exactly?"

Ryou stared at the floor. He'd been at Malik's, but if he told her he'd been on the other side of Domino, he'd be grounded for life. "I was...at a friend's."

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy."

His mother sighed dramatically. "Good. You're much too young for dating."

Ryou didn't bother to argue with that. He wasn't interested in dating anyway; he was just glad she hadn't realised he was gay.

"What did you think you were doing, boy? Out in Domino alone!" she said despairingly.

"I'm seventeen years old! Some people live alone at this age!"

"You have no idea what you're saying. Those are poor, disadvantaged creatures with dysfunctional families. You don't know what's out there."

Ryou flinched. He would die if Malik ever heard his mother talking like this. She was a snob of the worst kind. A pitying, self righteous snob.

"Paedophiles!" she cried, suddenly standing up and slamming her bejewelled hands down on the table. "Perverts, rapists, thieves, drunks, freaks and liars! That's what's out there!"

Ryou was stunned into silence. _How can my mother be so ignorant? _

"I'm only trying to protect you, Ryou." she stood up, gesturing to a silent maid, who immediately sprang up to clear the table. Ryou scowled as his untouched grapefruit was whisked away.

"Piano practise at ten, Ryou. Don't forget. I'll be in my office." His mother said, before walking out.

But Ryou had other plans.

10.05. 

Ryou walked his fingers up and down the piano a few times. The piano was one of the few advantages of being rich. It was a grand piano, antique and always perfectly in tune. It made any pianist sound good, even Ryou, whose fingers were only good for wrapping around a pencil, it seemed. Although today, he didn't intend to do any practise.

It was Malik's birthday, and Ryou wasn't going to miss it. Malik had insisted that he didn't need presents, but soon realised that Ryou could be just as stubborn when he wanted to be.

Ryou took his iPod from his pocket and the speakers from the other side of the room. He had recorded himself playing a few days before, and now he played this little composition from the iPod. It had enough mistakes in to make his mother believe he was there practising, rather than out 'gallivanting'. He snuck over to the door and slipped out, closing the door as quietly as possible and tiptoeing down the stairs. He met the maid on the last flight. She gave him a questioning look.

"Do me a favour, Gail." Ryou whispered. She nodded and leaned in closer.

"Don't tell Mother I'm gone. Okay?"

She nodded again. Ryou had covered for her many times; it was the least she could do. Besides, they got along well, which was more than could be said for herself and Ryou's mother.

Ryou then dashed down the last few steps and through the spotless kitchen. He was about to leave when he remembered Malik's present.

_Damn!_

He looked around for something he could take, and spotted his mothers designer handbag lying on one of the gleaming marble counters. He walked over to it, feeling an idea forming. He knew that the leather purse in the bag would be stuffed with money, and she wouldn't miss £20 if he took it.

_It's for a friend_, he told himself, as he prised open the silver clasp and pulled out a note. _Sorry, Mum. _

Then he grabbed his coat and was out the door, knowing he was disappointing his parents again.

* * *

><p>It was midday by the time he arrived at Malik's house. For a while he was scared he'd forgotten the address, but the flats were easy enough to find. Once inside, he felt his happy bubble swelling again. Knowing Malik was only a few metres away only served to enhance his glee. He bounded up to the door he remembered as the right one -21B- and knocked.<p>

And waited.

After a few minutes out in the corridor, Ryou began to wonder what was going on. After all, he didn't know Malik well.

_He could be out. We didn't exactly agree a time to meet. _

_He could be in there with his boyfriend...or something. _

Ryou banged on the door again. He leaned his ear against the door to try and hear if anyone was in there, when...

"I'm here, already! Wha-! Ryou!" Malik yelped. Ryou was now sprawled on the floor, having been leaning on the door when Malik opened it.

"What are you doing?" Malik asked bemusedly

Ryou shook his head, embarrassed. "Don't worry."

Malik beamed "I won't! Sorry about the wait, I was in the shower. The hot water came on, at last. I thought you were Aaron, so I decided he could wait. If I'd known it was you..." The pair made their way across the living room. Malik obviously had just gotten out of the shower, because his wet hair was leaving a trail of drips across the carpet. He turned to Ryou, smiled and hugged him.

"Erm...happy birthday!" Ryou said, suppressing a laugh. Malik was so random.

"I didn't think you were coming!" Malik said, letting go of him.

"I had to walk all the way over here."

Malik looked shocked. "You walked? But you must have a car."

"My parents don't exactly know I'm here... Overprotective, you see."

Malik nodded glumly. "I'm not exactly educated company, am I?"

"I'd rather spend time with you than any of the snobs my mother would have me know." Ryou said vehemently. He hated his mother for making Malik upset, however indirectly.

"Anyway," Ryou said brightly, changing the subject. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"I want..." Malik paused, thinking.

"Yes?"

"Well... I want my belly pierced."

Ryou blinked. "What?"

"Don't you think it's boring?" Malik indicated his bare stomach.

"Erm...no?" Ryou blushed furiously.

"Well, I do." Malik said. "I need accessories, else I may perish!" he said theatrically, pretending to swoon on the faded couch.

"Consider it done." Ryou said, trying not to laugh at Malik, who had "passed out" and was now muttering about earrings.

Malik sat up suddenly, his hair flinging a trail of water across his jeans. "What?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm serious. Your birthday present from me."

Malik shook his head vigorously. "I can't let you do that. I mean, you barely know me! Plus I won't be able to pay you back."

"That's what presents are. Free. And anyway, you can pay me back."

"How?" Malik said, raising one eyebrow in a way that was uncannily like his sister.

"By being my friend."

"Let's not go there again." Malik said, remembering their awkward first meeting. "But okay. You've convinced me."

* * *

><p>And that was how Ryou found himself standing outside a tattoo parlour. It was a rambling building wedged in between some old terraced houses, the brickwork artistically smothered in glossy ivy.<p>

"Are you sure about this?" Ryou asked nervously. He was seriously regretting trying to pressure Malik into this. It definitely wasn't the type of shop he would normally be going into.

"Oh, come on! Don't get my hopes up and then chicken out, honey. Please?" Malik was practically bouncing up and down with excitement, any inhibitions he had well and truly hidden.

Ryou stared up at the building. It was so old it seemed to be leaning on the houses alongside it, and looked as though a particularly hefty client would have it teetering and shaking with every step.

"Come on!" Malik was at the top of the steps leading to its front door. Ryou sighed and braced himself for whatever was inside.

It was nothing like he'd expected. It seemed pretty normal. There were many intricate tattoo designs on the walls, and Ryou couldn't help but admire the artistic skill that must have gone into them. Malik, however, was much more of a "do first, ask questions later" sort of person. He'd chosen his piercing within 20 seconds, and afterwards all but skipped over to the desk in the corner, where someone appeared to be sleeping, head down amongst all the scraps of paper, broken pencils and half empty mugs.

"Excuse me?" Malik said, leaning down and tapping the guys tan arm.

"Wha..." The person grunted and sat up. Ryou stared. This person looked alarmingly like the man from his dream. In fact, they could have been twins. The same wildly spiky blonde hair and dark tan. This person seemed to be waking up as the minutes passed. He yawned widely and stretched like a cat.

"Sorry. Late night, if you know what I mean." He slumped back in his chair, eyeing both Malik and Ryou and running a hand through his platinum bangs.

"So," he said, adopting a more businesslike manner. "What can I do for you?"

"Can I get my belly done?" Malik asked, eyes shining.

"Sure thing. If you have the money." The man said, holding out a hand.

Malik handed over the money Ryou had given him, mouthing "thank you". Ryou shook his head, smiling.

"Oh. So you're the money behind this little operation? Defying the parents, are you?" the man asked Ryou, smiling slyly.

Ryou was surprised that such an idle looking person could read the both of them like an open book. There was clearly more to him than Ryou had first thought.

The man turned to Malik. "You can go in now. Akefia's waiting."

Malik grinned excitedly. "Wish me luck!" he said to Ryou, before turning and vanishing through a door next to the desk.

Silence descended upon the waiting room. Ryou wandered over to look at some of the earrings on display. They were all pretty, sparkling in the winter sun, but Ryou's fear of blood made them lose some of their appeal.

Still, he found himself saying "Do you think I should get one?" to the man behind the desk.

"No."

Ryou was surprised. "Why not?"

The man smiled wryly. "They're addictive." He turned his head, and Ryou saw that one of his ears had been pierced all along its edge. Ryou found himself counting the jewels.

"Eight?" Ryou asked. "That's a lot of needles." He shuddered at the very thought of having eight pieces of metal stapled in his ear.

"You don't want to spoil that pretty face of yours."

"You can't talk. I'm not the only one here with a pretty face." Ryou said boldly.

He then paused, shocked at himself. Although there was no denying that the man was gorgeous. His eyes were a dark, dark violet, indigo in some lights. They were heavily lidded and slightly sunken, which seemed to increase his beauty rather than detract from it. He had a wide mouth and harsh jaw line and what Ryou could see of his body was muscular but at the same time, he was slender, like a runner.

More interesting than that, however, was the hint of detachment in his face, like the feeling you get from looking at someone who isn't quite there, someone who isn't on the same wavelength. Until a few weeks before, Ryou knew he would have emanated the very same aura. But still, Ryou was beginning to regret saying anything at all.

The most beautiful people were often the most dangerous.

"I'm Marik. Who are you?" The man said suddenly, looking intently at Ryou. Ryou felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. This wasn't just a dreamer sitting here. This was something more.

"I'm Ryou...um...nice to meet you!" Ryou said, taking a slight step back.

"Ryou...nice name." Marik said, leaning back on his hand, his lazy smile returning.

Ryou smiled warily, knowing something wasn't quite right.

And judging by his rapidly beating heart, all his instincts agreed with him.

Unless, of course, that wasn't from fear.

Ryou didn't like that particular idea.

* * *

><p>Malik stood in the back room. It was pleasantly warm, unlike the cold waiting room and the counters were strewn with interesting-looking sheets of paper. He glanced around, trying to find 'Akefia'.<p>

"Afternoon," said a deep, velvety voice from the stairs in the corner of the room. Standing on these stairs was a tall, muscled figure. Malik stared.

"So you want to get a piercing? Bad choice. They're addictive, you know. Just take a look at Marik and you'll see what I mean." Akefia walked around the room, gesturing to chair that looked uncomfortably like a dentists. But Malik couldn't think about this. All he could think about was Akefia. He shuffled over to the seat and sat down, eyes still trained on Akefia.

"So, what piercing did you choose?" Akefia asked, shoving some of the papers aside into a messy pile.

Malik opened his hand to reveal what looked like an amethyst.

"Nice. Matches your eyes." Akefia said, smiling. Malik swore his heart stopped at that.

Akefia was gorgeous. Unfeasibly, unreasonably, and unfairly stunning. He had men and women alike staring at him in awe wherever he went, and Malik was trapped like a butterfly in a spider's web. The more he tried to get free, the more entwined he became.

He didn't even feel it when Akefia stapled the amethyst into his navel. He was hooked on Akefia's every word, his every movement.

He'd fallen head over heels in lust.

"What's your name?"

"Huh?"

_Way to go. Now he'll think you're an idiot, as well as a staring pervert._

"Your name." Akefia smirked slightly. He was quite aware of the effect he was having on his young customer and rather liked it, the way a cat likes to play with a mouse before pouncing.

"It's Malik." Malik glanced down at his stomach, in a vain attempt to stop himself staring.

"Malik. Wanna come over on Monday night? We could call it a date."

Malik's jaw dropped. "What, here?"

"I live up there," Akefia gestured towards the stairs.

"You're...you're serious?"

Akefia smiled. "You're cute. And you're of age. What's to stop you having a bit of fun?" He didn't sound remotely sleazy as he said this, just extremely tempting. His voice was like treacle, Malik noted. Smooth and entirely irresistible.

"I...I don't..."

"I would invite you in now, but that wouldn't be fair on Marik."

Malik had no idea who Marik was, but felt a spark of annoyance that he was preventing him from getting Akefia right there and then.

He knew he really shouldn't.

But he also knew he wasn't going to turn down an offer like that.

* * *

><p><strong>I actually love Malik. Very much.<strong>

**Just to say, I have actually finished Chapter 7 of this, so I am quite far ahead of myself. I know it won't last long, but I'm gonna enjoy it while I can!**

**If you spot any inconsistencies (especially with time e.g. 'days' instead of 'weeks') please say! Anyone who read Inspiration will know that the timescale has changed ^o^ .**

**Reviews? **

**Thank You! Kal277 xxx**


	4. Another Kiss

**For a chapter that has been written for at least a year, this has sure taken a long time to reappear. Sorry about that - I blame GCSE's. Anyway, happy belated Chapter 4.**

* * *

><p>"Wakey wakey, Malik."<p>

Malik spoke to the recently-unpacked mirror. The dark smudges under his eyes were, he hoped, the only clue to the sleepless night he'd had and ice cubes would soon solve that problem. The reasons behind aforementioned sleepless night, however, were a mystery.

He stood up slowly and glanced down at the black top in his hands. Malik rarely wore black, but when he did, he glowed.

That was the plan. Malik was going to glow so brightly Akefia wouldn't think to ask about anything embarrassing. Like his age.

Malik left his bedroom and after shoving the top to the bottom of his schoolbag, headed towards the kitchen. Before he could reach it, he heard the other door open with a low creak.

_Three, two, one._

"What are you up to?"

_Aaron. Ugh._

"Nothing. You?" Malik didn't look round, just stopped dead in the middle of the room.

"None of your business."

"There's no need to be rude." Malik's tone was so acidic a more insightful person might have backed off. Aaron, however, was about as insightful as a slug.

"I can say what I like. In case you hadn't noticed yet, I'm Ishizu's favourite. And as her favourite, I call the shots."

_Let him think he's winning. Then bite back. _

Aaron continued blindly, "How does it feel to be a disappointment, huh?" He adopted a mocking, childish tone, "The little boy who is so pathetic he tags along with his big sister 'cause his brother and his daddy don't want him."

Malik bit his lip and tasted blood. _Ouch._

"He never calls, does he, your brother? You know," Aaron said, "I reckon it's because you're gay. No-one wants a gay brother. Hit on his friends, did you? You're an embarrassment. Christ, if you were mine I'd have set you straight. Literally." He laughed.

_If Akefia were here, he'd punch your lights out and laugh, you bastard. Then you'd be sorry. _

"_Hey, hey, I never meant a word of it. Malik, gay? I never knew. I love gays, honestly. We can talk about this..."_

"Trying to be gay 'cause you think you're cool, huh? You want your sister to feel sorry for you, yeah? Look, kid, she hates you as much as I do, so maybe you should just give it a rest. Otherwise some guy will come along and fall for your little act, and you'll be in for it then. _No, wait, stop, I'm not really gay..._"

"Too late." Malik interrupted. He walked over to the door and picked up his schoolbag.

"Huh?"

"I said too late. When we first moved here. After the dance show. I met a real nice guy. We got along _really_ well."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Precisely. You might want to wash the sheets."

And with that, Malik left. It took Aaron a few seconds to work out what he was implying.

"Ishizu!"

Malik heard the enraged cry from halfway down the road. He smiled coldly. The perfect lie, perfectly executed at the perfect moment.

Malik 1 - 0 Aaron

* * *

><p>Ryou was late.<p>

He'd always known that one day, his little detours through the back alleys would actually affect him, but he hadn't expected today of all days to be the one when Time decided to mess him around. He was two minutes from school, when he ran into the very thing he had been trying to avoid - Ushio. Just one name on the long list of people who counted bullying Ryou among their very highest priorities.

Since he'd first arrived at the school, Ushio had singled him out as a weakling. Something he could manipulate. He wasn't at all intelligent, but his brawn more than made up for that in Ryou's eyes.

He stood there with a group of hulking cronies, leering, like Neanderthals surrounding some kind of prehistoric kitten. Ryou swallowed nervously as he neared them, feeling the blood rush to his head, fear flooding his body.

"Eh, pretty boy! Come over here." One of them yelled. The whole group cackled. Amongst the fog of cigarette smoke Ryou could vaguely make out Ushio's face, uglier and crueller than the rest of them. Most likely, they were just as scared of Ushio as Ryou was. Still, right now the last thing Ryou wanted was an encounter with any one of their fists.

His rapidly slowing walk drew him level with them. Ryou felt hope flutter in his stomach at the gap between them and the alley wall. Maybe they'd let him escape without a beating, just for today. But that hope was extinguished as Ushio stepped between the chink of light and Ryou's frail form. His hand shot out and his fat fingers entangled themselves in the front of Ryou's shirt. Ryou braced himself for the coming punch.

"Hey! Excuse me...Ryou? Hey there, sweetheart!"

From between two of the hulking teens burst Malik. Malik's eyes drifted from person to person. Evaluating. Calculating. Sizing up his opponent. Ryou noted that Malik certainly wasn't small. He could look every member of Ushio's gang straight in the eye, and there had been no lack of muscle on his stomach when they had met at the weekend. Even in Ushio's chokehold, he felt himself flush at the memory.

He smiled bemusedly. "Am I interrupting anything?" He glanced up to Ushio, who had Ryou held up by his clothes.

"Ryou! You never told me you had a boyfriend. Or a whole harem, by the looks of it." Malik smiled saucily and placed a hand on his hip, surveying the entire group. He was wearing a white tank top, skinny red jeans and a cropped denim jacket; evidently, he hadn't read the school rules: No provocative clothing.

"You know what? I've changed my mind. We can deal with this queer first." Ushio dropped Ryou, who fell to the floor in shock, and turned to glare at Malik, his mean little eyes dark with anger. No- one made fun of Ushio. Not if they wanted to make it to school in one piece.

"Let me introduce you to..." Ushio swung his fist back; he was going to enjoy knocking this fag around.

"...My fist!" He threw a viciously hard punch, and certainly did not expect retaliation. But Malik was fast. Before anyone could blink, Ushio was pinned against the wall, his fist being subtly crushed in Malik's tan hand.

"No, no! It's ladies first, isn't it?" Malik said, smiling sweetly. Everyone there stared, including Ryou. He'd known Malik was good, but not this good!

_He's a bloody angel!_

"My name's Malik, and if you want to know more, find me." Malik winked at Ushio, and kissed him on both cheeks, letting go of his fist, bangles jangling, eyes sparkling. He leaned down, dragging Ryou to his feet. Ushio was frozen in shock.

"Come on, Ryou. We're gonna be late. Crap, we're already late!" He gave Ryou a gentle push in the direction of school, before turning around for one final insult.

"Pathetic," he said scathingly. "Touch me again, and my _boyfriend_ will pull out your eyes and make you eat them. Have a nice day."

_Malik, you are on fire today._

* * *

><p>Malik fixed his hair and jogged for a bit to catch up with Ryou, who had escaped from the scene as quickly as possible.<p>

"Are you alright?" he asked, as they entered the school grounds. Ryou kept his head down, eyes hidden behind a curtain of white bangs.

"Oh, God, I'm so embarrassed. You shouldn't have had to see that." Ryou sounded almost tearful. "I'm sorry. Now if you get bullied it's all my fault."

"Don't give me that crap, Ryou. Look at me. Do you really think the bullies in this school would miss me?" Malik scowled and then smiled wanly. "But don't worry. If they're as cowardly as I think they are, they won't be bothering me again."

Ryou looked up, biting his lip. "Sorry..." he started to say.

"If you apologise one more time, I'll be the one starting on you. Okay?"

Ryou giggled weakly. "Yes, sir."

"Excuse me? What on earth do you think you are doing loitering in the school grounds?"

Ryou groaned under his breath. Mr Pegasus was the last thing he needed right now.

"Ryou Bakura. A troublemaker, if ever met one. As far as I recall, you had yet another detention with me on Friday. I will greatly enjoy seeing you in my classroom tonight, seeing as you conveniently forgot about it. I will also be kind enough to treat you to a surprise quiz. If you don't get full marks, you'll have detentions every day this week. As for you..." Mr Pegasus looked at Malik as one might look at a particularly filthy dog. "...What on earth are you wearing?"

"I'm sorry, sir. Is there something wrong with my outfit?" Malik said coldly, folding his arms. Ryou had never heard Malik speak in such icy tones. Obviously, something about Pegasus had really hit a nerve.

"Don't say anything you wouldn't be happy to repeat in front of the school board." Malik said warningly.

Pegasus' eyes bulged slightly. He wasn't used to students standing up to him.

"I-I'll let you off just this once."

Malik stared impassively at Pegasus, chin raised slightly.

"Well? Do-"

"Yes sir." Ryou interrupted hastily. He took Malik's arm and dragged him away. Something in Malik's eyes had told him that that could have gotten out of control. Even as they were standing in the school reception, Malik had a dark look in his face.

"Malik, what's up? He's always like that, don't worry..."

"I hate adults who pick on kids." Malik spat vehemently. "It's... it's... it's just pathetic!"

Ryou regarded his friend with concern. There was clearly more to this than an unfair teacher, but Ryou had never been one to probe, so he just left it. Malik could come clean when he felt like it; if ever.

"Well, shall we go? You don't want to be late for Mr Lawrence! You know, I think he gets paid per detention." Ryou said, smiling nervously. Something about Malik's expression was a little unnerving.

Malik sighed.

* * *

><p>The day passed quickly. They were in all the same classes, and seeing as Ryou was often left sitting by himself, Malik had been quick to claim the empty seat next to him.<p>

It was last period, and the weather had turned bitterly cold. It was Geometry, a subject which Malik clearly couldn't get his head around, and which therefore involved a lot of muttered curses and pencil biting. Ryou's seat was right next to the radiator, so he could keep his feet warm while the rest of the class froze. It was his little bit of just revenge for the fact that they ignored him. However, the seat did have some downsides.

"Hey, Ryou." Anzu turned around from the seat in front of him, smiling. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks." Ryou watched her eyes drift to Malik, as peoples' eyes tended to do.

"Are you busy after school today? We're going to the arcade, and Yuugi was wondering if you wanted to come..."

Malik glanced up from his page of illegible scrawl. "Hmm?"

Anzu flushed "Oh, it's an open invitation! Don't feel like we're leaving you out, Malik." She sat up a little straighter.

"I'd love to, but I have detention with Pegasus." Ryou said, feigning disappointment. The visit to the arcade would just have been hours of awkwardness.

"I can't go either. I'm otherwise engaged." Malik winked. "We can go on a date some other time."

"I-it...I mean no! That wasn't it at all-!" Anzu stammered, flushing again.

"He's only teasing, Anzu." Ryou said, remembering their conversation about Malik's 'orientation'.

"Oh. Okay then." Anzu's face fell a little and she turned back to the front.

After a moment's thought, Malik said "I think she fancies me."

"You don't say! Just about everyone does." Ryou laughed.

"Seriously?"

"I remember when you told me to take a look at myself. You clearly haven't been practising what you preach."

"Oh Ryou, where would I be without you?"

Something Malik had said suddenly clicked.

"Otherwise engaged?" Ryou asked incredulously.

Malik burst out laughing. "And I thought I was slow!"

"Shush at the back!" The teacher hissed. Malik attempted to stifle his giggles.

"Were you being serious?" Ryou whispered curiously.

"Yes. Well, I'm obviously not 'engaged', but I am taken. As of yesterday."

"Yesterday? But you spent all day with me."

"Not quite. While you chatted up the lovely boy behind the desk in the tattoo parlour, Akefia was all over me."

Ryou blushed, "I did not chat him up."

"You so did. Anyway, that conversation can wait till later. School's nearly out, and I'm going to Akefia's after."

Ryou was suddenly hit with a few disturbing thoughts, mostly involving Malik being tied up or thrown into the back of a van. It must have shown through on his face.

"Don't look so horrified, Ryou. I won't let him jump me."

"Good."

"I will be doing the jumping."

"Malik!"

"Only kidding. But if I'm late for school tomorrow... It'll be because I couldn't find my clothes."

"You are so horny."

"Yes. Yes, I am."

Ryou burst into a silent laughing fit, which he attempted to hide from their teacher by ducking down behind his hair.

Malik smiled to himself. It seemed like his luck was finally changing.

Then the school bell rang shrilly, filling his ears with the sound of freedom, and perfectly matching his thoughts.

The entire class descended into chaos.

"Hey... class! The bell is for me, not you..." The teacher cried in vain.

No one listened, of course. Ryou began carefully packing up his things, ruler, pencils, books and papers, totally at odds with the mad rush of his peers. Malik tapped him on the shoulder.

"I should really go now. It'll take me a while to get to Akefia's." He was pulling the sleeves of his denim jacket the right way out. The pair wandered out into the corridor.

Ryou smiled slightly. "You know what I said about not checking him out?"

Malik smiled back in a knowing way, "Yes?"

"I was lying. I was checking him out. And now I think about it, it was probably painfully obvious."

"You never fail to surprise me, Ryou Bakura. I always thought you'd go for the 'sweet and sensitive' type," Malik said, almost admiringly, "But opposites attract, I guess. More importantly, will you be alright on the way home? That Philistine won't give you hassle, will he?"

"No. After school they go and knock over bins. Anyway, I have a detention with Mr Pegasus."

"Pah! Pathetic. Well, if that's the case, I'll see you round! "

Malik turned and left, leaving Ryou standing in the corridor, faced with the prospect of an hour with Pegasus.

_Well, this is going to be a laugh!_

* * *

><p>Malik arrived at the tattoo parlour at about five o'clock. The wind was bitter and fallen leaves were being whipped up in miniature tornados every few streets. Malik stood on the front steps, threw his coat on the floor and stripped off his denim jacket and shirt, to replace them with a tight black tank top. He pulled a decorative black belt from his rucksack and shoved his old clothes back into it, jogging up the steps and inside out of the cold.<p>

The usual guy was sitting behind the desk, talking on his phone.

"I already told them I can't do Thursday's. Some of us have to work!...Stupid woman, she must have used up all her damn holiday by now. Yeah, tell me about it, I don't know how she managed to graduate... Wait, I gotta go. Talk to me later, yeah?"

He put the phone down and glowered up at Malik.

"Oh, so you're the reason Akefia's shutting up early? He's so fucking disorganised." Malik watched Marik's eyes drift down to his bare stomach - appreciatively?

"Hmm. I wouldn't recommend those for most guys, but it looks okay on you."

Malik glanced down. "Thanks?"

"No problem."

Malik waited for a second, and when he realised that the man wasn't going to say anything else he began walking towards the back room. As he passed the desk his low slung backpack knocked some papers to the ground.

"Oops, sorry about that! I'll just get those..."

"Nah, don't bother yourself. Clear off and screw Akefia. He's been getting really grouchy recently." Marik said brusquely, standing up.

"I'm not a hooker, you know."

"I know. But that's what you're here for, right?" Marik said, playing absentmindedly with his hair.

It wasn't a question.

Malik frowned and started to walk away.

"That wasn't an insult. In fact, Akefia is pretty fussy about who he does, so you should really be flattered."

Malik stopped in the doorway. At length he turned to Marik and smiled.

"Well, then, thanks. I guess."

Marik raised both eyebrows suggestively. "I won't hang around. This building isn't exactly stable, especially the top floor."

And with that, he clambered over his desk and left, throwing a set of keys up and down in his hand. As he left he locked the door.

* * *

><p>Malik turned and started to make his way up the steps. He'd never been one to feel apprehension, and today was no exception. He bounded up the stairs without hesitation. At the top, there was a tiny landing and one door. Malik reached out and twisted the handle, which jammed and clattered.<p>

"How fricking old is this place?" Malik muttered, fighting to jerk the doorknob into submission. After a few seconds of not getting anywhere, he decided to barge the door open with his shoulder. It burst open with a loud banging noise, and Malik stumbled into a quite amazing room.

It was like stepping back in time. The four poster bed in the corner was draped in a crimson sheet, the room was full of old chests and random pieces of mismatching furniture. Sitting in a tall living chair was Akefia, who looked perfectly at home in the strange jumbled mess of an apartment, which looked more suited to be the boudoir of a nineteen twenties prostitute than the bedroom of a promiscuous twenty year old tattooist. Akefia smiled, then tutted.

"You could bring the whole place down, banging around like that. I'm surprised you didn't take that thing off its hinges."

Malik smiled back delightedly. It was easy to forget how stunning Akefia was when you didn't see him for a while; a while being one day. Then he thought of something.

_If I throw myself at him, he'll control me. I need to show him I'm no pushover. However much I may want to, I will not give in to his disarming good looks._

With that thought, Malik walked over to Akefia, swinging his hips slightly, and sank elegantly into the chair next to him.

"Do you drink?" Akefia asked, playful grey eyes meeting Malik's, a smile playing on his lips.

Malik considered it. "Rarely. But, if you're offering..."

Akefia smiled wider, and dragged a bottle of wine swiftly across the little table towards him. Malik watched the scarlet liquid pour almost hypnotically into the two glasses, tumbling downwards and then splashing and bubbling into the bowl. He took his glass and sipped some of the contents. The wine was bitter, but warm, far from the foul tasting substance he remembered.

"So...have a good day at school?"

Malik almost choked on his mouthful of wine. Akefia laughed.

"You didn't think you had me fooled, did you?"

"I...didn't think it was that obvious." Malik pushed his fringe out of his eyes, trying to ignore the heat rising to his face.

"Please. If you were at college you'd be taken for sure. Unless of course, you are...? Taken that is."

"No. I'm not a cheater."

Akefia's lazy smile widened. "Then count yourself lucky; I don't make a habit of dating schoolboys."

Malik crossed and uncrossed his legs, feeling slightly self conscious under Akefia's gaze; the man hadn't looked away since he'd entered the room.

"I-it was okay."

"Hmm?"

"It was okay. School, I mean. If you wanted to know..." Malik heard himself stammer slightly, and wondered why.

Akefia relaxed into his chair. "You sound scared." He said teasingly, balancing his wine glass on his knee.

"Well, I'm not. What's to be scared of?" Malik said, more to convince himself than anything else.

"Me?"

"Pah. You aren't scary."

"Liar. You're shaking. Unless that's not because you're _scared_..."

Malik decided not to grace that comment with an answer, and instead took another sip of wine.

"So...are you a virgin or what?"

"Stop saying things like that while I'm drinking!" Malik coughed indignantly, trying to retain any dignity he had left.

"Sorry." Akefia smirked, looking anything but sorry.

"And for your information, I'm _not_. Not that I'm proud of that, or anything."

"Girls don't count."

"Well... I'm still not."

"Ooh. What a little slut." Akefia said, the offensive term made almost admiring. "Was he any good?"

"That's none of your business."

"That means it was either so bad you don't want to remember, or so good you don't want to talk about it for fear of making me jealous."

"It was neither." Malik insisted, "He was...different. He was my best friend. We were just messing around."

Akefia raised an eyebrow, drinking some wine straight from the bottle. He gestured for Malik to elaborate.

"That's all there is to tell." Malik shrugged, draining the last of his wine.

"What a pity. I was rather enjoying that story." Akefia stood up and sat on the arm of Malik's chair, staring unabashedly at him. Malik lifted his chin to meet Akefia's gaze, trying to distract himself from the close proximity of the other.

And from the inevitable _sex_ that was to follow.

"Did I ever tell you how much I like that?" Akefia asked

"How much you like what?"

"The piercing. It suits you."

Malik flushed and smiled "That's what Marik said. Anyway, you did it."

"It was your idea."

"I wouldn't have been able to if you-"

"Are we going to keep talking, or do something more interesting?" Akefia interrupted unexpectedly. Malik felt his stomach flip, in anticipation or fear.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Someone's a pro-cras-ti-na-tor." Akefia elongated the word and leaned in closer to Malik, raising a hand to lightly brush his cheek. Malik watched the hand, then the beautiful face of the man he was about to...

Yikes.

_Idiot. You've been in Domino for less than a month, you sl-_

Then Akefia kissed him, and he stopped thinking.

...

Kissing Akefia was like nothing else. He wasn't reserved about it; he kissed his friends, his lovers and complete strangers, but they all said the same thing afterwards.

"Wow."

"That's what they all say." Akefia did not appear to have had the same out-of-body experience as Malik.

They kissed again, oh so elegantly. Impromptu relationships shouldn't begin like this. They begin with drunken fumbling in dark bars or the back of a borrowed car. They are heady and feral and utterly uncouth, crude to the very core. This was the opposite.

"Breathe, Malik."

Malik inhaled heavily.

"Look at you." Malik looked up and saw Akefia watching him. "You look so...edible."

Caramel and lemon and raspberry and those purple eyes, so completely defiant. It was as though even when Malik was willing, his eyes were furiously incompliant.

_I wonder, who can match those eyes? _Akefia thought.

"Akefia?"

The voice, so beseeching.

_Love me, love me._

The eyes, so apathetic. Aloof. As if they knew exactly how pitiful you were and scorned you for it.

Cold eyes.

Akefia felt Malik's warm lips on his neck. For one mindless second, he feared Malik's closeness. The moment passed, and Akefia forgot the hate he had seen so briefly, lurking in Malik just below the surface.

"Kiss me, Akefia."

A command. Malik's hand was on the back of his neck, his nails digging in slightly. Akefia responded by pulling Malik onto his lap. He was heavier than he looked.

They kissed flawlessly. There were no awkward moments when you go a little too far, or have to pull away to breathe. It was a strange, unnatural sensation, perfection. Akefia's lips on his own were perfect. Akefia's hands on his waist were perfect also. Malik was aching for Akefia to do wrong, so they could leave the equilibrium and establish some kind of order.

"Let's go to bed."

The soul was fearless; there was nothing Malik couldn't, wouldn't do. The body was Akefia's for the taking. But the eyes were barbed, guarded, and completely inaccessible.

Such a strange thing. A naked man with such guarded eyes.

There was a slow, bleeding shame there.

A familiar shame.

But soon they were closed and Akefia did what he does best.

He stole.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you liked it! And the next chapter <span>will <span>be up ASAP. It's already written, and I am determined to actually finish the fic this time. **

**Reviews? **

**Love, Kal277**


	5. Another Fall

**I know some people will probably drop dead on the spot at the sight of such a quick update, but in the next few weeks I will genuinely have little or no time to do anything, so I thought I should post this while I can.**

**And also, it makes me feel somewhat saintly, updating early. **

* * *

><p>Ryou woke up in a cold sweat.<p>

His arms instinctively scrabbled at the duvet, freeing him from the suffocating mass that was preventing him from breathing. When he eventually found the energy to draw in a desperate breath, the air was ice cold, and Ryou felt every inch of its path into his lungs.

He coughed twice and sat up, pupils dilating in the darkness.

_So much for an undisturbed night._

Concentrating on calming his erratic heartbeat, Ryou looked around furtively, as one instinctively does when faced with a dark room, a cold night and an unwelcome awakening. The recurring dream had woken him again, and he knew that no matter how hard he tried he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Dreamless sleep requires a state of utter relaxation; in all his 16 years, Ryou had not yet managed to reach it.

_Stupid dreams. Stupid insomnia. _

Ryou clambered out of bed, eyes adjusting to the darkness. Everything seemed strangely alien; in shades of black and grey, Ryou barely recognised his own home. That was why he didn't like the dark; he didn't recognise himself, either. As he walked into the cold, silent hallway he stretched, his hair falling back from his face; in the dark, his eyes were frightening, so he tried not to look in the hall mirror as he passed it.

_Get out. Get out while you can._

First came the walking boots – two sizes too big. Then came the front door, the horribly loud groan of hinges, and then the first exhilarating rush of dry outdoor air, laced with winter and freedom.

At least, that was how it seemed to Ryou, in his sleep deprived state.

Seeing this wraithlike figure wandering the frosted streets, black eyes barely visible behind long silver hair, you might assume he was lost. Homeless. You might start, certain you had seen something otherworldly.

Perhaps you'd be right.

However, it wasn't to last. Soon enough, Ryou's mortality was laid bare.

The freezing weather had turned the pavement into a sheet of black ice; a death trap for a klutz like Ryou. He felt his foot slide to the side and twist painfully, and the inevitable fall came a half second later. He fell hard onto his left wrist.

His yell of agony echoed across the street. Ryou heard himself over and over.

A sharp pain jolted up his arm as he clutched it to his chest. Lying there, dizzy and bewildered, he realised quite how asleep he'd been.

He sat up awkwardly, swallowed hard and tried to think.

_I can't get up, I can't move. What the hell do I do? _

Ryou shivered. The cold was starting to settle in him, finding its way deep into his bones and numbing him slowly, bringing goosebumps up on his arms and sending his teeth chattering. He'd heard of people getting hypothermia, but he'd never expected to be one of them. He tried his ankle once more, but recoiled with a whimper of pain. He could feel the tears of frustration starting in his eyes, and vaguely considered whether they would freeze to his face, as a cruel little reminder of his anger.

He wasn't sure quite how long he lay there. Every now and then there would be the sound of a distant engine, and Ryou would feel hope fluttering in his chest, but it inevitably turned into nothing. He could feel himself getting colder by the second; never had one of his night-time strolls gone so horribly wrong.

_But I hadn't had the dream back then... _

Suddenly, there was a blaze of headlights, painfully bright to Ryou. Ryou turned away from the blinding light as the car turned and he heard the roar of its engine die away. It rolled up right next to where he lay crumpled on the pavement, and Ryou tensed.

_It could be some nice person, just thinking to help me...But on the other hand... _

Ryou tried not to think about that, instead examining his wrist.

"Hey. Long time no see, little Ryou."

Ryou turned in surprise, the remnant smudges of the cars headlights blocking his vision. Leaning from the cab of a battered looking truck was Marik – his dream man's doppelgänger, eyes glinting in the moonlight. Marik looked suitably confused at seeing Ryou lying in the street in the middle of the night.

"What are you doing?" He asked, sounding both amused and concerned.

Ryou was torn between crying with relief and dying of embarrassment. This came high on the list of his most humiliating moments. At least it was dark, so Marik couldn't see his cheeks darkening to the colour of a beetroot. Still, better embarrassed than frozen.

"Erm... I...sort of f-fell over and t-twisted my ankle... you d-don't think you c-could help me...?"

"No. I'll just leave you here and come defrost you in the morning."

"I...b-but.."

Marik rolled his indigo eyes and kicked open the door of his truck. Ryou followed his heavy boots on their path round the front of the vehicle, as they crunched their way through the shattered ice on the tarmac. Marik crouched down behind him, and Ryou craned his neck to see just what he was doing. He was examining the swathe of crushed ice Ryou had carved out as he fell.

"Do you sleepwalk a lot?"

"No. I wasn't r-really s-sleepw-walking, though. I-i... i'ts hard t-to explain."

"Weird. Anyway." Marik stood up and turned to Ryou, who was watching him nervously, his face having finally returned to its usual ghostly colour.

"Back to the situation at hand."

Marik leaned down, and before Ryou could protest, had grabbed him unceremoniously around the waist and lifted him under his arm.

"Ah!" Ryou yelped. The entire street spun. "P-put me down!"

"Don't be difficult." Marik grunted, pulling Ryou into a vague bridal style hold and attempting to manoeuvre him through the open door of his truck. Ryou, disoriented as he was, couldn't help but admire Marik's strength. He didn't appear to be struggling at all; maybe picking up people was a regular pastime of his. Then his injured foot hit something and he was distracted.

Marik didn't miss Ryou's hiss of pain.

"Sorry."

"T-that's okay..." Ryou answered, almost inaudibly. Marik frowned. Ryou was finally in place in the passenger seat of the truck, but he didn't look _better_ at all. In fact, if he wasn't shivering visibly, he could've been mistaken for a corpse. His lips were a rather alarming shade of blue, his dark eyes half shut and out of focus.

"You're shivering."

"N-no, I'm f-fine." Ryou lied.

"Don't be masochistic. I don't want you to freeze to death." Marik started taking off his coat, still watching Ryou carefully. He looked like he would pass out at any moment. Still, he was pretty energetic when it came to denying assistance.

"You'll b-be cold-d."

"No I won't. I haven't been lying out in the street for hours. Why do people like you always put others first? You're obviously near enough frozen, and you know I'll make you wear the coat anyway, so why bother?..." Marik scrutinised Ryou's face, looking for something. Ryou flushed and looked away.

"Hmm. Fine. Let's go." Marik threw his coat into Ryou's lap and slammed the door. Ryou could feel the heat coming from the heavy fabric, and however much he may have wanted to, he knew he wouldn't be able to return it now. Besides, the coat smelled nice, and Marik seemed pretty indifferent to it.

_Poor coat_, Ryou thought. _Don't worry, I'll appreciate you._ He wrapped the thing around his shoulder with his uninjured hand, and managed a smile.

_I'm grinning to myself and comforting an inanimate object!_ The rational part of his brain nudged him.

_Well, I'm also getting into the car of a complete stranger... A bizarre, gorgeous stranger..._

The irrational part of his brain had apparently been brought to life by a spell out in the cold. The warmth of the cab and the coat and the vibrations of the engine soon had him asleep.

* * *

><p>"Hey. Ryou! We're here. Wake up." Someone poked him in the side. Ryou grudgingly opened one eye.<p>

Marik smiled crookedly. "You were talking to yourself. I called the men in white coats."

Ryou flushed. _What exactly had he been saying? _He hadn't even realised he'd been sleeping.

Marik laughed. "Don't worry; they'd go for me first anyway. Besides... I would have been mad to get rid of you so soon."

Ryou might have been imagining the sexual intonation behind those words, but either way he blushed darker. Marik just seemed to find him amusing.

"How red are you intending to go?" he said teasingly.

"It's not funny! It's just because I'm so pale normally."

"What's to blush about?" Marik probed, apparently dead set on making his companion as embarrassed as possible.

"Nothing. It's just hot in here." Ryou tried to fold his arms, forgetting that he'd hurt his wrist.

"Ow! Damn it." Ryou's face crumpled in pain.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a klutz?" Marik said, grinning even more widely as he climbed out of the cab. Ryou couldn't bring himself to complain as Marik lifted him out of the car and carried him across an unfamiliar car park. He attempted to look around, but only succeeded in hurting his neck. The pain from his ankle was making him feel slightly sick, so he decided to relax while he had the chance.

"Are you kidnapping me?" Marik heard Ryou ask sleepily.

"Yes."

"Right. Okay... I..." Ryou's little speech was interrupted by an involuntary yawn. He appeared to give up speaking and instead slumped against Marik's shoulder, eyes closing. Marik sighed.

Eventually the strange pair arrived at the front door of the flats where Marik lived. They certainly weren't your average flats; they appeared to be a huge rambling house, rather than a tower block. Marik banged the door with his hip; it was locked, as usual.

_Crap. I forgot the midnight 'curfew'._

Marik leaned down to press the little intercom whatsit with one finger, this being made especially difficult by the deadweight of a half asleep Ryou in his arms. Not just that, but Ryou was distracting. His silky silver hair tickling Marik's neck, his disarming fragility fixing Marik's attention without fail. Marik shook the thought off and yelled into the intercom,

"Sarah! Get down here now!"

Ryou twitched in his arms. There was a scuffle behind the door.

"Get down, you stupid cat!" The door was eventually heaved open, and a tiny blonde woman stood there, adjusting her nightdress with one hand and holding a vicious looking cat with the other . She scowled at Marik. Marik scowled back. The cat hissed, keen to join in.

"Inconsiderate bastard. If you're going to keep coming in at God knows what time of the night, I'll give you your own key."

"I had good reason today." Marik indicated a semi conscious Ryou and walked on. "But," he paused and glanced over his shoulder "I wouldn't say no to my own key."

Sarah scowled and stormed out, muttering something about men and God-awful timekeeping.

"Nice catch, bad boy." A girl sitting on a faded living chair glanced up from her book to appraise Ryou, smoke from her cigarette curling towards the ceiling.

"He's not a 'catch'." Marik said absently, glancing down at Ryou, "He is nice, though."

"Like I said." The girl muttered, rolling her eyes.

He started walking up the stairs, wanting to be back in his own flat; preferably in bed. With or without Ryou.

They arrived after what seemed like an eternity of climbing; Ryou opened his eyes a little to take in his surroundings. The flat was a strange room. The living room was in a dip in the floor and all the other rooms had a little step leading up to their entrances. Ryou found himself dreading the morning; he'd be over one of those steps in a flash, and off to A and E.

_Wait, the morning? Am I considering staying the night?_

_And shouldn't I be at A and E anyway? _

He was jerked from his thoughts once again by being half dropped on the battered couch he'd seen from across the room. He moaned slightly, his ankle cramping after the long journey. Marik stretched out his arms, bones clicking, and Ryou noticed for the first time a tattoo of intricate black swirls that started on his left bicep and shoulder and crept up to the back of his neck, like a fire or perhaps the ocean.

_Definitely fire._

Marik rubbed the insides of his elbows, making the flames dance.

"Man, Ryou. You killed my arms." Marik wandered into the kitchen and started searching the cupboards, feeling the feeling creep back into his fingers. He was cold, despite what he'd told Ryou. That reminded him; Ryou was still wearing his coat. He glanced over; the black material swamped the smaller boy, making him seem even frailer than before. Marik felt his pulse suddenly jump.

_Ryou is beautiful. He's fucking beautiful._

It was true, of course. Marik wasn't sure if he liked the way his blood ran cold when he thought Ryou's name, the way his huge dark eyes seemed to see right through you. This wasn't a safe, sexy thing. This wasn't some stranger in the street. This was new.

_You need to sleep_, said the sceptical voice in his head. Marik half agreed.

"Um...Marik?"

_Damn, that voice! So shy and polite, but so... piercing. _

"Er...yes! Right." Marik quickly grabbed the things he'd been after. He'd think about this later.

Ryou hadn't meant to interrupt Marik's thoughts, but he'd looked troubled, and Ryou's arm and ankle were both throbbing painfully.

Marik stepped down from the kitchen, so effortlessly graceful that Ryou felt a spark of jealousy. He dumped a first aid kit on the sofa and sat down next to it. Ryou shrugged off the coat as quickly as he could.

"Take as many of these as you want..." Marik said, placing a tub of painkillers in Ryou's uninjured hand.

"...And give me your leg." Ryou blinked and flushed, for about the hundredth time that night. Marik laughed. "To put a bandage on, Ryou. You really are out of it!"

"Oh! Right. Do you know how to tie a bandage?"

"Please. I'm training at Domino City Hospital."

"Wow. I wish I was so practical."

Marik only grunted in reply. Ryou unscrewed the lid of the pills and was slightly concerned to see only a few left.

"Do you get headaches a lot?" Ryou asked, glancing at Marik's face. He looked like he was concentrating, so Ryou was surprised when he answered, smiling ruefully,

"You could say that."

Ryou was intrigued, but didn't ask further. He tried to think about something other than Marik, and failed. He was so interesting. He winced, thinking of what his mother would say to that.

"_Where were you last night?"_

"_I went to a strange man's flat."_

"_Why!" _

"_Because he was __**interesting**__." _

Yes. That would go down a treat.

_Still, Marik isn't really a stranger. Well, not anymore._

Ryou thought about other people. Would they climb, or rather, allow themselves to be placed, into a stranger's car without hesitation? Without even a flicker of fear?

Would they fall into conversation as easy as breathing, and treat this stranger like they treat their best friend? It was a scary thought, and Ryou didn't want to consider the implications if the answer was no.

"Arm now. Aren't you going to take those?" Marik said, impatiently. Ryou looked up, and found himself staring into the most incredible eyes. They were animated, churning, flickering whorls of black-purple, and Ryou imagined he was seeing straight into Marik's soul.

"What?" Marik tilted his head bemusedly.

"Sorry." Ryou took a pill, and Marik took the tub.

"Those things knock you out. By the way." Marik began wrapping a bandage around his swollen wrist. Ryou watched his hands. He had a silver band around his ring finger that Ryou had never noticed before, and another tattoo on the base of his thumb. A tiny L, which moved as he manipulated the material around Ryou's hand.

"You'll have some nice bruises _here_ in the morning."Marik commented, touching Ryou's elbow. Ryou glanced down and noticed the rather large graze. He hadn't even felt it.

He wondered what to say next. Marik made him lose his train of thought, as well as not notice noticeable injuries.

"Are you married?" Ryou asked, thinking of the ring and trying to nudge Marik into speaking again. The jewellery seemed rather at odds with what Ryou could guess of Marik's personality, but then again, so did marriage.

He soon realised that that had been the wrong question to ask. Marik seized up completely, his hand holding the bandage in place, but his eyes far away. The atmosphere went from amiable to tense in a heartbeat. Ryou was sure he felt the temperature in the room plummet.

After what seemed like an eternity, Marik tied a rough knot in the bandage and stood abruptly. Ryou felt guilt rising inside him; whatever he'd said had hurt Marik, whatever unpleasant memories he'd churned up. Ryou hated stirring. He hated the idea that he'd made someone feel bad, even unintentionally. Marik packed up the first aid kit, clearly still brooding and pointedly ignoring Ryou.

Ryou glanced down at the pill in his hand, the white circle even paler than his near- translucent skin and Marik' earlier comment took on a whole new meaning. Ryou looked up at Marik again, feeling the same as he had in the tattoo parlour; slightly afraid, curious, and bemused. Once again, he felt he'd found another part to him, another mystery to unravel, like a cat prising apart a ball of wool. He watched as Marik disappeared into one of the rooms, and a few seconds later he heard him rummaging around, clearly searching for something. Ryou wasn't sure quite what to expect.

A few seconds later, Marik reappeared, carrying a pile of random bedding. Marik realised with a wry smile that he'd never had anyone to stay that hadn't been sharing his bed. He dumped them on the end of the sofa, while Ryou watched. Marik turned to leave, to disappear into his bedroom, to leave Ryou alone in the dark, to sleep.

"I'm sorry!" Ryou said, almost desperately. Marik looked to him, eyes seeming to soften from cold indigo to warm violet as he felt his heart melt and buckle under the pressure of Ryou's pleading gaze like plastic folding in a microwave, or a tin can being crushed underfoot.

"You're forgiven."

And then he snapped off the lights.

* * *

><p><strong>First hint of a backstory, ladies and gents! <strong>

**Anyway, after Chapter 7 you may find that everything becomes a little better written. This is because most of these early chappies are adapted from a story I wrote about 2 and a half years ago. So don't be too alarmed; I haven't had a lobotomy :) **

**Reviews? **

**Kal277 x**


	6. Another Sleep

**Hi everybody!**

**Welcome to Chapter Six. Please keep your arms, legs and tails inside your chairs at all times.**

* * *

><p>The night wound on, time passing smoothly as Domino slept.<p>

Tick.

Three O'clock.

Tick.

Four O'clock.

Tick.

Five O'clock.

In a different place entirely, on a thoroughly battered couch, Ryou Bakura turned over in his sleep, twitching, his eyes shut tightly, hands curled into fists, so close to waking up...

"_Just say yes..."_

Then he moved an inch too far.

"Agh!"

Ryou woke with a start, and wasn't entirely surprised to find himself lying on the floor, limbs splayed out like those of a doll that had been tossed aside by a stroppy child.

"What a lovely awakening." He muttered to himself. It wasn't easy being about as graceful and coordinated as a giraffe on an ice rink. At length he heaved himself up into a sitting position, this being difficult with one wrist out of action, crossed his long legs and leaned against the sofa, his back aching after its recent clash with the floor.

A stream of light was creeping in from the gap above the curtains and turning plain dust motes into sparkling glitter which spiralled through the air, moving and twisting aimlessly towards the floor, where they would eventually gather into ugly, insignificant dust balls. Ryou watched them for a bit, trying and failing to follow one individual point of light, but eventually found that one of his legs had gone numb. He scowled and stuck it out to the side, shaking it and fully aware of how weird that would look if Marik happened to catch him...

_Marik. _

The events of the previous night came flooding back. For a moment he felt a rush of delirious happiness, for reasons he couldn't fathom. Then a mini panic attack.

_Oh, God. I Hope I didn't wake him up._

Ryou glanced at the bedroom door across the room, disappointed to see that it was firmly closed, smugly concealing anything and everything within. Toying with the idea of sneaking off before Marik woke up (but dismissing it because of the long walk), Ryou pulled himself to his feet, or foot, almost skidding on a discarded magazine, his pyjama top hanging from his skinny frame. Ryou shivered, briefly remembering how cold it had been the night before, and found himself watching Marik's door once again.

Considering how little he knew about Marik, it was ridiculous to even be thinking about nosing around in his bedroom while he was sleeping, Ryou told himself as he bent down to pick up the magazine; seeing that it was at the very least R-rated, he dropped it hastily behind the sofa, feeling uncomfortably like a naughty schoolboy doing something he shouldn't.

_What do you do when left alone in the house of a stranger who only hours ago rescued you from death by deep-freeze? _

It wasn't a question Ryou had ever expected to be asking himself.

Ryou hopped across the threadbare carpet, wobbling on his one leg and nearly tripping over the step next to the plain white door.

Behind which was Marik.

_Oh dear. I am truly pathetic. _

Ryou placed his uninjured hand on the cold door handle and turned it slowly, pushing the door inwards as quietly as he could. He remembered long ago games of hide and seek. Back in the days when he'd had someone to play with.

_The door is always the hardest part._

Luckily, there was no crash of falling paraphernalia or (even worse) a fully conscious Marik staring at him in confusion. Ryou could just imagine the expression of shock on his face. Then he'd probably laugh and make some comment about stalkers. And Ryou would undoubtedly wind up blushing.

Behind the door lay a disappointingly generic bedroom, everything bathed yellow by the sun which shone in from a huge bay window opposite the door. Stacks of books and magazines were randomly pressed up against all four walls, which were painted off-white. The only other furniture was a rickety looking stool and a double bed, on which Marik was lying.

Ryou limped towards the bed, making sure he didn't knock the books, for no reason other than to get a better view.

With the light pouring over the bed, Marik looked almost angelic. The harshness in his face seemed to soften and his closed eyes no longer displayed the darkness that was Marik. You could almost be fooled into thinking he was an innocent. Ryou was entranced. This Marik was stunning.

Marik lay, one arm flung out to the side, the other folded beneath him, his hand curled up next to his face, his blonde hair catching the light as he slept. His dark tattoo spread all the way up his side, as though a black fire had been lit at his hip and had crawled up his spine and crept across his ribs, scarring and staining the flawless skin.

Ryou tried to remember what he was looking at. A stranger, a twenty something year old he knew nothing about, had nothing to do with and probably should never have even met. The beautiful face and the tanned, wiry limbs and torso were just the surface. It was the way his ribs rose and fell, the curved frame pulling the skin taunt, making the fire dance and the near silent sound of breathing, and his eyes wandering beneath their lids and the half – smile he wore in sleep that set him apart from some beautiful mannequin.

Ryou could feel himself smiling in response. The urge to reach out and touch him was almost unbearable, but that would shatter the illusion. This ethereal creature would become a human being as soon as Ryou could feel his heart beating.

Then Marik stretched and muttered something, his head turning suddenly.

"Mmmph...Kura..."

Ryou jumped back.

_Crap, crap, crap. _

Ryou did the first thing he could think of. He stood as still as possible, as a wild animal does when faced with a predator.

_Inventive, Ryou. Really, really inventive! Just revert to your animal roots, why don't you? _

He watched as Marik opened his eyes a little, a sliver of indigo staring blearily at him.

"Eh...Bakura?"

Ryou frowned. How did Marik even know his surname?

"Bakura?" He asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

Marik opened his eyes a little wider, finally focusing on Ryou, who folded his arms, waiting for a response. Recognition flashed at last, and Marik gave him a tired half smile.

"Sorry... thought you were someone else. Ryou, right?" He said, laughing quietly. It was a strange laugh; a sad, nostalgic laugh.

Ryou wasn't sure what to say, so he just said "Good morning."

Marik sat up, rubbing his head thoughtfully, messing his hair even more.

"What...what exactly are you doing in my bedroom?"

Ryou's mouth opened into an O, as if he was about to say something, but then he changed his mind.

Marik grinned at him; it was a grin of pure, if beautiful, evil.

"Cat got your tongue?" he said slyly.

"Erm... no." Ryou desperately tried to think of a reason for his being there, but couldn't.

"Human curiosity?" He eventually said

"Of course. Insatiable." Marik said, humouring him."Now, shoo! Go and find some food, or something."

Ryou slipped out of the room. Once outside he pondered over the appearance of this bizarre, beautiful stranger in his dull, monotonous life.

_"I'm so lucky, lucky! I'm so lucky, lucky! I'm so lovely, lovely. I'm so lovely, lovely."_

The sound of Marik's singing over the buzz of the shower, almost bell like, childishly high in comparison to his more masculine speaking voice, made Ryou smile once again.

He thought about school and home, but they seemed far away and insignificant and soon faded from his mind, if only temporarily. This had originally seemed so surreal, but now it was as though this was realer than real. The start of something strange and unknown.

An unprecedented opportunity of untold depths.

_You are being completely delusional, Ryou Bakura. Marik is as much a person as anyone else. A bit more crazy, but a person nonetheless. _

Perfectly on cue, Marik burst out of his bedroom, still humming happily, a towel flung around his shoulders. Or, he seemed happy, as far as Ryou could tell. His dazzling eyes darted about the room, as if he was a child fascinated by the world and all its madness.

He reminded Ryou of Malik. Only more strange and extraordinary.

"Shall we bother with breakfast? There isn't that much food around."

"I don't mind," Ryou said, "Really!" he insisted, when Marik gave him a disbelieving glance.

"You're such a little pushover. And I'm a very bad host. I don't even have bread – or edible bread, anyway."

Ryou wrinkled his nose in mild disgust "That's gross."

Marik's grin stretched wider, "Isn't it just? Shall I take you home?"

"Yes, I... wait, what?" Ryou felt his heart sink inexplicably. He tried not to let his disappointment show on his face.

"You didn't think you were staying forever, did you? Because I don't plan on keeping you." Marik said teasingly.

"No, of course not. I just..." Ryou looked down at his bare feet, noticing the bandage for the first time that morning.

_Of course it's going to go like this. I should have known. I never get lucky. _

"Ry-ou! Don't look so down; you don't want to hang around me for too long, it gets boring. Trust me."

Marik lifted Ryou's chin so he was facing him. There was hurt in his dark brown eyes, and Marik couldn't quite work out why. Ryou prised his face free of Marik's grip.

"Aw, come on. Don't be like that." Marik frowned, more out of confusion than anger.

People didn't usually want to stick around, and he hadn't supposed Ryou would be any different. People came in and out of Marik's life faster than raindrops slide down a window on a rainy day, and most of them left running. Marik had just resigned himself to that fact. People didn't like him. Or rather, they liked him, just not enough to bother putting up with his problems. Of which, he'd been told, there were many.

_Well, Ryou is special. You could see that from the start. Idiot._

* * *

><p>Still, they found themselves in the truck, driving away from Marik's home ten minutes later, Ryou hunched against the window. It was only about 6 in the morning, and the sun was still hanging low, setting the horizon alight.<p>

"Turn right here." Ryou's voice was loud after the prolonged silence.

"What?" Marik turned to Ryou, who stared back.

"You missed it." He said, matter of factly.

"I missed... oh, shit." Marik was tempted to hit his head over the steering wheel. Ryou burst out laughing.

"Earth calling Marik?" He giggled, and Marik couldn't help but join in.

"That wasn't even funny."

"Oh, but it was." Ryou continued grinning for a few seconds, then suddenly a look of absolute horror crossed his face, and he clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Marik!" he squeaked.

"What's wrong?"

_If I've run over someone's cat, I'm dead meat. _

"My mother." Ryou said, blinking rapidly.

"You what?"

"She's going to kill me!" Ryou grabbed his arm in exaggerated panic. "Don't take me back! I need to go into hiding!"

Now it was Marik's turn to laugh. "Yes. We'll get you a new identity and a couple of bodyguards to protect you from Psycho Mother. And I'll patrol the perimeter of your hideout with a sniper and some grenades."

"That sounds pretty accurate, actually." Ryou mumbled, poking Marik's arm, annoyed he wasn't taking this seriously.

A few minutes later, Marik spoke

"It's really thanks to your friend that you didn't freeze last night."

"My friend?"

"You know. The pretty one. Blonde. Noisy."

_Pretty?_

"Oh, you mean Malik? What does he have to do with anything?"

"He came back to the shop on Akefia's whim," Marik looked scornful at that, "And knocked a bunch of things off my desk. One of those things was my room key. So I went all the way home, found out I couldn't unlock the door, got really, really pissy and then drove all the way back. That's when I saw you. So I guess you'll have to thank _him _for that, and for the fact that my landlady was being such a cow last night."

"Malik's an angel. He's always rescuing me." Ryou said, smiling. "I should thank you too, obviously. I owe you one."

"Nah." Marik shrugged. "All in a day's work."

Ryou frowned. _So much for being special._

Soon getting bored with being annoyed, Ryou started fiddling with the handle for the glove box under the dashboard. It burst open and a few leaflets fell out onto the floor. Ryou recoiled instantly, as one does when they knock something over in a shop. Marik was apparently still trying to get back to that turning they had missed and so didn't notice, him being busy cussing and squinting at Domino's infamously complex road signs.

Ryou breathed a sigh of relief, and continued nosing around in the small compartment. Its contents consisted mostly of old receipts and discarded speeding tickets (unpaid, most likely) and Ryou was about to abandon his search, when he noticed something strange right at the back; an unidentifiable object. Reaching his hand in, he realised it was lace. Curiosity piqued, he pulled the object out. It took him all of three seconds to work out what it was.

"Ack! Oh, gross!" Ryou yelped, and threw the thing back inside the glove box, slamming the door as fast as he could, as though it were going to jump out and bite him.

"What now? Did I miss another turning, or run over an old lady?"

"Marik, why do you have thongs in your glove box?" Ryou scrubbed his hand on his pyjama bottoms.

"It's not mine, if that's what you're suggesting." Marik said, affronted.

"That does _not_ answer my question!" Ryou looked at him, giving him the 'death glare'.

"Well, you know what they say about spies. You might come across something you don't like."

Ryou muttered something along the lines of "avoiding the question" and turned to the window huffily. He could see Marik laughing out of the corner of his eye.

The houses flashing past the windows were slowly becoming grander and neater. As they turned onto Ryou's street Marik gave a low whistle.

"I wonder if I'll get a reward for rescuing you. Seriously, it'd probably set me for life." He looked around, a tiny spark of jealousy starting in his chest at all of the fancy facades and expensive, shiny cars.

Ryou sighed. "You wish. My mother would probably faint if she saw you on our doorstep, and then have you arrested for kidnapping."

"I'm offended."

"Don't be. My family are rich snobs. People think I am." There was hurt in that, along with a low, burning rage. Ryou felt his stomach twist as he voiced what he'd known for years, but had never truly admitted.

"My family are dead. People think I am." Marik said quietly.

"What?" Ryou turned to Marik as the truck drew up outside his house. Marik seemed far away; probably remembering that which he wasn't keen to remember.

"Nothing. We're here." Marik said, his voice hollow, his eyes dark.

Ryou clambered out of the truck awkwardly, and started walking towards his house; his huge, ornate whitewashed cage, which despite its balconies and bays, still managed to come across as hideously ugly to its youngest inmate.

"Hey."

Ryou turned, his white hair lit peach and gold in the sunlight, his eyes brightened to toffee. Marik had leaned across the seat and wound the window down with some difficulty(it was an old truck). He tapped the inside of the door; it was a command.

Ryou walked back to the truck, and stood, hands laced behind his back, feeling shy and slightly lightheaded.

"Will I ever see you again?" he asked quietly, taking a step closer to the open window. He balanced on the very edge of the kerb, swaying back and forth like a little child. Marik shrugged and flashed him a fabulously crooked smile.

"If you're lucky." He said nonchalantly. "Or if you're unlucky. It's really a matter of opinion."

"Let's hope I get lucky." Ryou said, smiling slightly.

Marik laughed lowly. "Don't break any mirrors."

He leaned out of the window, and his lips brushed against Ryou's cheekbone in what could be considered a kiss.

Ryou's heart skipped, and then Marik was gone.

* * *

><p>Ryou flushed happily.<p>

The image of him, stretched out across the seats, his dark arms folded lazily on the door, a slice of tan back and black tattoo visible between his jeans and his shirt, his indigo eyes slanted and hypnotising and alien, was enough to distract Ryou from the imminent danger that his mother presented.

_Of course, that kiss probably meant nothing to Marik,_ Ryou thought, as he walked up his garden path. _So I won't get my hopes up. I'll probably never see him again, and he probably won't even care. No, won't even notice. _

As the door opened and he saw his mother standing there, eyes blazing, he imagined Marik placing the same feather light kiss on the cheek of another person.

The owner of the lingerie in his glove box.

One of the tenants in the house he stayed in.

One of the customers in the tattoo parlour where he worked.

As his mother seized him by the collar and screamed at him, her words grating on his ears, he imagined what might have happened if he'd been a bit more lucky.

Maybe if he'd told Marik what he thought right there in the tattoo parlour, instead of blinking stupidly like a rabbit in the headlights, maybe if he'd refused to leave the flat, maybe if he'd taken Marik's face in his hands and kissed him right back through the window of his battered truck, he wouldn't be here. And Marik wouldn't be gone.

He saw his mother raise a hand, as if to slap him, and he flinched instinctively, cowering. The ringed hand hovered, shaking, until his mother drew it back to herself, clutched it in the other and told him;

"Get out of my sight!"

Ryou went.

He wasn't going to school today.

* * *

><p>The red truck drew up outside the tattoo parlour, parking itself clumsily against the kerb.<p>

Marik jumped out of the driver's seat, not looking forward to working the night shift at the hospital later that day but not particularly caring. Frost glittered on the pavement and the faint footprints of Domino's early risers were just visible in the sugary dust.

He rounded the front of the truck, looking at the open window, where, just minutes before, the beautiful Ryou had been standing, looking prettier than anything Marik had ever seen. And he had seen a lot.

The only explanation he could come up with for Ryou's perfection was that Ryou was somehow magical, and one day he would vanish into a puff of smoke. Or that Marik would wake up. Neither of which was particularly optimistic.

_Maybe Ryou is just a fabulous person. Unlike you, Marik. You're a disgrace, but he's wonderful. You do the right thing, and keep away from him._ The cynical voice in his head chastised him harshly.

Marik stomped less than gracefully up the steps and through the front door. Akefia was sitting on his desk, drinking coffee.

_Coffee means good mood. Alcohol means bad mood. Coffee and alcohol means avoid at all costs. _

"What is this vision I see before me?" Akefia asked lazily "Marik Dakede, smiling?"

"Aren't I allowed to be happy? Oh yeah. I forgot. Our customers are cheerless freaks, drawn in by an aura of darkness and despair." Marik replied, smiling slightly. He liked Akefia, and so put up with his incessant banter.

"Now now. Don't insult our kind patrons. What exactly is the cause of this absurd change in character? Or should you just go admit yourself to the mental ward?"

Marik thought for a moment about how to explain himself. Then his grin returned.

"I think I'm in love." He said.

"Oh really? Lucky you."

"Yeah. Wait, no. If I was lucky, I'd have fallen in love with someone more..."

"More...?" Akefia prompted.

"...sturdy."

"What?"

Marik sighed and picked a pencil off his desk, absentmindedly twirling it between his fingers. "It's like one false move and..."

Snap.

The two men watched the remains of the pencil fall to the floor. Marik looked to Akefia, his eyes briefly displaying the fragility and the hollow desperation that he tried so hard to hide.

"I see what you mean."

* * *

><p><strong>So there we have it! Chapter 6. Chapter 7 is going up as soon as this has, so look out! <strong>

**I don't know if anyone is still interested in this, but whatever. If you are, I'd love to hear from you!**

**Kal277 x**

**P.S. I do love a bit of Akefia and Marik conversation. It's so masculine :D**


	7. Another Call

**This is a momentous occasion! **

**A NEW, BRAND NEW, AND OFFICIALLY NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED CHAPTER!**

**I would like to thank my laptop, Fiver, and Yu-Gi-Oh for helping me get this far. Oh, and of course my readers. :D**

* * *

><p>Geometry is possibly the dullest and most difficult thing ever invented, Malik decided as he absentmindedly doodled in his book. He wasn't about to put his hand up for help either, seeing as his work for the hour consisted of a picture of a llama, a few hearts and maybe a butterfly or two. He added a pair of glasses to the llama and labelled it 'Pegasus'.<p>

_Oh. My wit and maturity astounds me. _

_Without Ryou, this is even more mind numbing._ Malik thought grouchily, selfishly irritated that Ryou had decided to take this particular day off. Half tempted to re-label his llama 'Ryou', he dropped his pencil and yawned widely, running a hand through golden bangs and stretching jeaned legs out beneath his desk.

_Wait, what if he's __**sick**__? _

Frowning slightly, Malik straightened up and reached into his pocket for his mobile phone. Sitting at the back had its advantages, he mused, tapping out a quick message and then scrolling through his phonebook for Ryou's number. Watching the little animated letter swoop off, he tapped his nails on the desk and sighed, rolling his kohl-rimmed eyes towards the ceiling.

It was going to be one long Geometry lesson.

* * *

><p>Curled up on his bed, Ryou jumped as his phone vibrated so violently it fell off his bedside table. He leaned down to pick it up and saw that he'd received a text, and that the text was from Malik.<p>

"...should have known." Ryou muttered, smiling to himself. Malik wouldn't hesitate breaking the school rules to send him meaningless messages.

From: Malik Ishtar

_Where r u? Bin missin ure sexy face around here. Got geom, need help plz!_

Ryou giggled and rolled his eyes. Malik's epic failure at Maths of any type always managed to cheer him up.

_Well, it's better than sitting here feeling sorry for yourself all day long. _A voice hinted.

Ryou relented and replied, thinking the whole time about how guilty he would feel if his friend got a detention.

* * *

><p>Malik leaned back in his chair, still staring at the ceiling and ignoring its creaks of protest. He was going to dream about angles tonight. The phone in his pocket buzzed loudly, and he hastily returned his seat to all fours. Luckily for Malik, the rest of the class were chattering, so he escaped any punishment for his <em>illicit communications<em> with Ryou.

From: Ry

_I'm in disgrace. It's __not__ fun. _

_Pythagoras' theorem is a² +b²=c². And C is always the hypotenuse. Okay?_

_Ryou _

Malik frowned at that, his forehead wrinkling and lips pouting involuntarily as he considered Ryou's answer.

In disgrace?

_Firstly, since when does Ryou get into trouble? _

_Secondly, what did he do that was so bad he was kept home?_

_Thirdly, what the heck is Pythagoras' theorem?_

* * *

><p>Ryou sighed heavily and buried his face in his pillows; today was going incredibly badly so far. A few hours before, the entire street had been bathed in a gorgeous rosy glow but now icy rain was hammering against Ryou's window and a grey coldness was creeping through the house; Ryou was wearing his dark blue jumper, the one he usually reserved for hiking in the depths of winter.<p>

He was convinced that if he went outside, into the sheeting rain, beneath the roiling black clouds, and stood in the very spot he had earlier, he would feel the resonant warmth of Marik in his very _bones, _and it would make a welcome change from the ice of his mother's disapproval.

Of course he wouldn't do it. He was too afraid of getting wet.

_Like when you didn't do what you wanted with Marik, because you were too __**afraid**__ of the consequences. _

_Well, if you could decide __**what**__ you wanted._

"Ryou, you're a coward, you're an idiot and you don't deserve friends like Malik." Ryou muttered angrily, punching the mattress underneath him. It wasn't particularly satisfying.

He'd never been so annoyed at himself. He would probably never see Marik again, and it was all because he'd had some foolish idea that Marik might actually make the first move and that he could just sit and smile while Marik swept him off his feet.

Marik wasn't a knight in shining armour, and it was just as well. Knights had never been Ryou's thing.

_Maybe if I'd just...I don't know, attacked him, or something. _

He had a sudden vision of himself throwing Marik on a couch, and snorted with laughter despite himself.

_Yeah, right. Innocent little Ryou, the dominatrix. _

That brought on a whole parade of disturbing images, some of which left Ryou laughing and some of which just made him cringe and blush madly.

_Right. My own company is proving extremely unhealthy. I'd better go downstairs. _

Ryou was pretty sure that his mother wasn't home; if she had been he would have been keeping well clear. If anyone spotted him, he'd just say he was hungry.

The landing was even colder than his room, Ryou noted as he stepped into the chilly corridor. He pulled his hands inside his sleeves, shivering slightly, his phone hanging on a cord round his neck in case Malik decided to text him again. (He was hoping for this).

It rang just as Ryou reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Hello?"

"_What did you do?"_

"Malik?" Ryou glanced at the clock, and was relieved to see it was morning break. Apparently, even Malik wasn't audacious enough to call him during a lesson.

"_Obviously. Now answer my question." _

"I stayed out all night. But it was an accident, I swear. In fact, it was practically kidnap."

"_What? Who- wait. It wasn't __**him**__, was it?" _

"If by 'him' you mean Marik, then yes."

"_Eeeeeeee -" _

Ryou rapidly held the phone at arm's length as Malik began squealing. When he was sure the risk of 'deafening by Malik' had passed, he cautiously replaced the phone.

"Are you still there?"

"_No."_

"Malik, that doesn't make sen-"

"_It's my turn to talk now! What did you do with him?" _

"Now that was subtle. Not."

"_And sneaking off in the middle of the night to engage in secret meetings with a man you said you didn't fancy is?"_

"I never said I didn't-"

"_Aw! You two go so well together! He's so much taller than you, Ryou. If you go out together you might look a bit of a midget."_

"Malik! I think you're getting ahead of yourself. We didn't do anything. I didn't even intend to meet him. It just sort of happened."

"_...That sounds like something you say when you just got knocked up." _

"Well, rest assured that is not the case."

"_I wonder what your babies would look like-"_

"Malik! Do you want to hear the story or not?"

"_I'm being quiet."_

"Yeah, that'll be the day. Anyway, I was half sleepwalking through Domino-"

"_You're joking." _

"Ahem."

"_Sorry!" _

"And I slipped over on the ice. Marik turned up in his truck and then took me back to his flat-"

"_Where he proceeded to screw your brains out!" _

"Malik! He did not. I think that would be described as 'rape'."

"_Not if you consented..."_

"Please shut up. This is giving me images. I already imagined myself as a dominatrix this morning, and you are not helping."

"_Wow. You're kinkier than I thought." _

"No comment."

"_Ooh la la. __Anyway, all joking aside, what did you do?" _

"He bandaged my ankle and my wrist..."

"_*cough*Bondage*cough*"_

"Malik, I hurt them when I fell over." Ryou felt his wrist twinge at the memory.

"_Oh, right. Carry on. But I don't want to hear anything too dirty! I'm an impressionable child."_

"You have a one track mind. And there is nothing dirty! I went to sleep on his couch, Malik. It was pretty comfy, actually. And then he drove me home at some unearthly hour this morning. Okay?"

"_Is that it?"_

"Yes."

Ryou decided not to relate their sort-of-kiss to Malik, for fear of a torrent of 'Aww's'. Also, he didn't want Malik to start asking awkward questions like "Why didn't you get his number?" which would only serve to increase his annoyance at himself.

"Actually, it's thanks to you that I am not in hospital with hypothermia."

"_Because I am so hot. Obviously."_

"No. Because you are so _clumsy_. According to Marik, you knocked some stuff off his desk when you went to...um, 'see' Akefia and if you hadn't, he wouldn't have been driving around town at one in the morning looking for his flat keys and therefore wouldn't have been there to rescue yours truly."

"_I am __**such **__an awesome matchmaker."_ Malik sounded truly pleased with himself at the idea that the whole thing had been his fault.

"Be afraid, singles everywhere! Malik will come and pair you up with anyone and everyone and then automatically assume you are in some kind of sadomasochistic relationship."

"_Yep, that's me."_ Malik suddenly paused, then groaned. Ryou could almost hear him rolling his eyes.

"_Oh crud, that was the bell. Give you a call at lunch."_

"You'd better, otherwise I'll go stir crazy."

"_We wouldn't want that, now would we... Mwah! Bye!" _

Ryou waited until he heard Malik hang up before he hung up himself; it was a habit of his. It was only after their conversation that he realised he hadn't managed to ask a single question about Akefia.

After thinking about it for a while, he decided that was probably for the best.

* * *

><p>Now that the babble of Malik's excited chatter had receded, the house seemed even more quiet than usual. It was almost eerie, the way the silence seemed to press in on Ryou, more suffocating than ever.<p>

_I've probably spoken and been spoken to more in the last few weeks than I have been in my whole life. It's not surprising that coming back __**here**__ is a bit of a shock to the system._ Ryou told himself.

By the time he'd actually made it to the kitchen, he was genuinely hungry. Ryou had a bit of a thing for unusual sandwiches, so whenever no one was around, he'd scour the kitchen cupboards for any potential combinations that could be slapped between two slices of bread and eaten at high speed.

About 10 minutes later, Ryou had created a masterpiece of a sandwich. Bananas, crème fraiche, tinned peaches and raspberry jam.

Yum.

Feeling extremely greedy, he carried it into the living room, licking peach juice off his fingers.

_This would be so much better if I could share it..._

Ryou sighed. Who would want to share with him anyway?

To distract himself from this rather depressing thought, he took a huge bite of the sandwich. Inconveniently, that was the precise moment the house phone began to ring loudly.

_Well, aren't I just Mr Popular? _

Ryou put his sandwich down and ran for the phone, assuming that the caller would ask for his parents.

"He-o?"He said, with his mouth full.

"Excuse me? Is that you, Ryou?" The bemused voice of his mother's secretary greeted him.

Ryou swallowed with difficulty. "Yes, this is Ryou speaking."

"Ah. Well, Mrs Bakura asked me to tell you that she won't be home for a few days. There's an urgent business meeting in Amsterdam. I hope you understand."

Ryou nodded, and then realised that was completely pointless.

"Erm...yes. Thank you. I mean, that's fine."

"Yes. Mrs Bakura said you'd be fine. We offered to shift the meeting, but she insisted. Well, have a good day."

"You too. Goodbye."

Ryou put the phone down hurriedly, fighting down the urge to overreact to this news.

_Of course she would choose a business meeting over me. I've known that since...forever._

He wandered back to the sofa and sat down heavily, his sandwich not seeming quite so appealing anymore and his good mood in tatters.

His thoughts drifted as he leaned back into the soft leather, and he found himself thinking about Marik.

Again.

Ryou pulled at the peach-stained bandage on his wrist, remembering how dark Marik's hand had been against his own, how piercing his eyes had been behind platinum bangs, and felt a delicious shiver run down his spine.

_I should be frightened of him, not __**lusting**__ after him!_ The much ignored rational-Ryou struggled to make itself heard.

He remembered the warmth of Marik's dark coat as it lay heavy on his lap.

_That's what Marik is. __**Warm**__. _

Ryou pressed two fingers into his own arm, briefly wondering if he was cold in comparison.

_You're being ridiculous_, he thought. _You're sixteen years old. You like Marik because he's pretty and older and unobtainable. Not because he's __**warm**__._

_Unobtainable. That's it. People have an annoying habit of wanting what they can't have, and this is no different. _

Ryou frowned.

_What do I want from Marik, anyway? Apart from Marik himself, that is. _

That was part of his attachment to Marik, for sure, but Ryou wasn't shallow. The pretty surface of Marik shouldn't have been good enough, important enough to turn his brain to mush and cut his attention span down to zero.

Somewhere deep in Ryou's mind, in the dark recesses where he rarely ventured, he felt a strange, possessive feeling creep. The idea of having that – Marik - to hold and to look into those fathomless eyes and to truly believe that he thought of no one else was so absurd- and yet so tantalising.

_It's just a crush. _

Crush sounded nice. It was something everyone got. It was nothing special, a seed planted only to be left withering in the dirt.

But crush sounded painful as well.

Crushed. Smushed into nothing, and forgotten.

Maybe that explained the hollow feeling in Ryou's chest.

He'd been _crushed_.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ice cream."<em>

That was what Ryou heard when he picked up his mobile for the second time.

"Yes... what about it?"

"_I just said it so I could see...erm, imagine... the look on your face." _

"Right."

"_Only joking, stupid. I want ice creams, and you want out of the house. There is only one solution."_

"What's that?"

"_Come and get ice creams with me!" _

"Wow, Malik. I never would have come up with that one."

"_Don't be rude. We can't all be geniuses."_

"My mother will kill me."

"_So? You're already officially dead."_

"...What?"

"_I told everyone in maths that you died in an accident with an oversized pastry and a pneumatic drill."_

"Malik, that's ridiculous. You didn't."

"_I did."_

"No you didn't."

"_Okay, I didn't. I'm so predictable. By the way, Akefia's coming too."_

"What?"

"_Hope you don't mind!" _

"I don't get a choice, do I?"

"_Nope. Don't worry, he's lovely, and I warned him about your secret relationship with his employee-"_

"Malik! There isn't a relationship!"

"_You should have seen his face."_

"Oh my God, Malik. Keep your mouth shut next time."

"_I'll hold you responsible if I starve." _

"My ears are bleeding from your inane chatter."

"_Bye! See you at five."_

"Wait wha-"

"_We're meeting in the square."_

"Oka-"

_Beeeeeeep._

* * *

><p>Ryou pulled his coat tighter around himself, shivering slightly. He was extremely glad he'd decided to wear gloves as it was particularly cold, and the parade of shops near the Square provided less shelter from the wind than you might have expected. The sky was an ominous shade of grey and Ryou glanced up worriedly as he passed a warm looking café. If it snowed, he would kill Malik for dragging him out of the house.<p>

_Malik is the only person I know who would voluntarily eat ice cream in this wea-_

Someone grabbed him from behind, with a jubilant cry of "Ryou!"

"Malik, that is not a socially acceptable way to greet people." Ryou prised his friend's arms off him and adjusted his coat.

Malik beamed, "Nice to see you too."

Ryou noticed that his friend was similarly wrapped up against the cold, but unlike Ryou, who was wearing navy-blue, Malik's gloves and scarf were rainbow-striped and stood out lividly against the somewhat dull backdrop of the Domino Square. Ryou blinked.

"Where's Akefia?"

Malik's head turned almost comically fast to look over his left shoulder. "Oh, he's coming. He's slow, you know? He keeps whining about how ice cream is out -of-season. I don't know what he's on about, ice cream is always good... Wait, there he is! AKEFIA! OVER HERE!"

Ryou watched the lone figure strolling leisurely towards them. The first thing he noticed was how tall it was.

"Malik, you hypocrite. You said Marik was too tall for me; look at him!"

Malik frowned. "Ryou, you're shorter than me."

"These things are relative, Malik."

"Screw relative. I want ice cream!" Malik dashed off to greet Akefia with the enthusiasm of a hyperactive dog chasing its favourite toy. Ryou followed at a less manic pace, feeling slightly apprehensive; what if Akefia didn't like him?

_That would be unspeakably awkward._

He caught a snatch of their conversation as he caught up with them.

"...for summer, Malik. You'll get brain freeze." Akefia was saying, sounding faintly amused.

Malik's indignant response rang out. "God! You're all such killjoys. Okay, _I'll_ get ice cream, while you two be miserable togeth- mmph!" His rant was stopped abruptly when Akefia leaned down and kissed him. He kissed back without inhibition.

Ryou froze, horrified.

_Great. As far as I am aware, there is no common decorum which says what you should do when your best friend engages in public displays of affection with another man who you don't know in the middle of the town square. _

Having deduced that shouting "Can I join in?" would be an inappropriate reaction to the situation, Ryou stood awkwardly a few metres away, face burning. Malik and his new 'friend' were definitely attracting the wrong kind of stares.

_And I was worried about whether Akefia liked me. Now the real question is whether he'll let go of Malik's face for long enough to even notice I'm here._

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, the trio were sitting at a rickety table outside one of the cafés overlooking the river. Fortunately for Ryou, Malik and Akefia had ceased making out, but now he was facing an entirely different situation: conversation.<p>

"So...you're Ryou?"

Ryou glanced up from his hot chocolate, bought not so much for its flavour as its warmth, only to find Akefia watching him curiously.

"Yes. I'm sorry for invading your date."

_Not that that's stopped you doing anything. _

Akefia laughed, but the laughter didn't touch his eyes. "Don't worry about it..."

Ryou sensed there was something coming, and braced himself.

"Did you really go to Marik's?" Akefia asked; subtlety evidently wasn't his strong point. No wonder him and Malik had such a good time together.

"He did! Didn't you, Ryou?" Malik was distracted from making origami cranes from his napkin by the sudden question.

Ryou knew he was blushing. "Yes... but it isn't what it sounds like!"

Akefia raised his eyebrows incredulously. "You're serious? You crazy kid."

Malik nudged him pointedly "You thought I was lying."

"Of course I did. Can't trust someone you've fucked." Akefia elbowed him back.

"What the hell?"

_I did __**not**__ need to hear that._

"We aren't a couple, you know." Ryou said, in attempt to steer their conversation out of the gutter.

"I should think not." Akefia said, whilst attempting to steal Malik's scarf. "Impromptu relationships never end well."

Malik snorted "That's stupid."

"It's also _true_, my dear. Keep that in mind." There was an underlying severity there that made Ryou wince slightly.

Malik rolled his eyes, their playfulness fading. "You know what? I don't care. I'm going to get another... something." He turned and walked off, rewinding his scarf as he went.

Akefia watched him leave and then turned to Ryou. "Devil-may-care little whore, isn't he?"

Ryou did a double take. _Where did __**that**__ come from? _

"So... how'd it go?" Akefia asked casually, apparently having forgotten that he'd just insulted Ryou's best friend.

"How did what go?" Ryou said coldly. He was beginning to understand Marik's discomfort on the subject of Malik and Akefia.

"Your little liaison, your midnight rendezvous."

"I'm not sure it's any of your business."

Akefia laughed. "Come on, Ryou. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just curious."

Ryou looked away, slightly mollified.

"You really didn't notice anything strange about him?"

_The pills..._

"Not really."

The visible half of Akefia's face was disbelieving. Ryou wondered briefly why Akefia wore his hair like that – silver bangs swept down over his face, hiding his right eye.

"You've got to be kidding. He's the strangest person I've ever met, and I've met some freaks in my time."

"That's a little harsh. He seemed normal to me."

"_My family are dead. People think I am."_

Akefia's voice lowered.

"Well, Marik isn't the person you think he is. If you value normality, I wouldn't recommend pursuing him."

"Excuse me?" Ryou was dumbfounded.

"I've known Marik for a long time," Akefia continued, ignoring Ryou's expression, "I've seen him at his worst, and believe me, you don't want to see that. His act will crumble eventually."

"Why do you even care?"

"I care because I've seen what happens when people give up on him. People like you, who think they can take it and then realise they can't."

"You shouldn't worry about me. I can handle myself."

_Sure you can, Ryou. With Malik there to back you up, that is._

"I'm not doing this for you; I've worked too hard on him to let him go back to that. He deserves better, and you can't argue with that."

"I..." Ryou stopped.

_I won't give up on him?_

_I'd never hurt him?_

"I don't even know him. We aren't a couple. I already told you."

_Coward. Liar. Pathetic, pathetic little boy._

Akefia's smile was cruel. "Of course you aren't. But you want to be, don't you? I can see it in your _innocent _face, Ryou."

Ryou stared at his feet; he couldn't bear the thought of looking up and seeing himself reflected in Akefia's glittering eyes, looking every bit as dejected as he felt.

"Everyone wants someone." He said quietly.

He heard Akefia lean back in his chair, so relaxed, so nonchalant. "If you want him so much...why did you let him get away?"

"I don't know."

"Better luck next time. If there is a next time, that is. One thing's for sure; you'll never find another like Marik."

This was too much to bear.

Ryou stood up and walked away, his chair scraping harshly against the concrete in his haste to get up. Akefia watched impassively.

"It was nice meeting you." He said, somewhat redundantly, as Ryou had turned and was walking hastily in the opposite direction.

A few moments later, Malik returned.

"Where'd Ryou go?" he asked, immediately concerned. It was almost as if he could sense the tension.

Akefia shrugged. "Home, I guess."

"Oh." Malik looked slightly put out. "I got him another hot chocolate."

"I'll have that." Akefia pulled the Styrofoam cup from Malik's gloved hand and placed a careless kiss on his jaw.

"You're freezing, Akefia." Malik sat on the arm of Akefia's chair, his jeans sliding down to expose a sliver of tan stomach. Akefia leaned his head on his shoulder and to a bystander it probably looked like a perfectly innocent gesture. Malik knew better; Akefia's cold hand up the back of his shirt gave away as much.

"Warm me up, then." Malik didn't see the predatory smile that was slowly spreading across Akefia's face but even if he had, the chances are he wouldn't have cared.

"Sounds good to me." He felt Akefia's lips on the back of his neck, and a shiver of anticipation ran down his spine.

They abandoned their date in favour of the dark decadence of Akefia's apartment; it was distinctly warmer between the sheets.

* * *

><p>The sun was hanging low in the sky, casting a watery white light across the promenade. The river and the sky gleamed the same steel-grey; it was bleak, to say the least. Against this washed out slice of Domino, you could make out a solitary figure in navy blue, walking alone towards the thrum of the inner city.<p>

You might have said that it looked defeated.

* * *

><p><strong>It's finished, it's finished, it's finished finished finished!<strong>

**Woo!**

**As you can probably tell, I am ridiculously happy that this chapter is finished. It is a sign that the story is actually moving forwards! **

**Kal277. **


	8. Another Distraction

**Welcome, one and all, to Chapter 8!**

**I hope you all enjoy it, and it wasn't too long a wait - I haven't had much time for writing recently.**

* * *

><p>"Malik Ishtar!"<p>

There was a prolonged silence. Someone coughed.

Miss Valentine's pale blue eyes surveyed the room, passing over her barely interested students, and eventually settling on the empty chair where her AWOL pupil usually sat. Doodling.

The teacher sniffed haughtily and dropped the register on her desk. "Where is Malik Ishtar?" she asked the class.

No one answered. At the back of the room, Ryou glanced guiltily out of the window, where a brown bird was pecking frantically at some frozen mud. He knew exactly where Malik was.

In Akefia's bed.

Malik's attendance -or lack of- was starting to annoy Ryou. He hated being stuck by himself in school all day, while Malik bunked and, presumably, got laid by a man with the body of a god.

"Just my luck." Ryou muttered, as he wrote perfect notes about the roles of different people within government. His aptitude for academia was evidently the result of a lucky gene, rather than dedication to study. Ryou chewed the end of his already-mangled pen, frowning half heartedly. He just couldn't be bothered with this.

It had been three weeks since he'd been able to study with any real enthusiasm. Coincidentally, that was the exact time that had passed since he'd gone to Marik's. He now spent his afternoons daydreaming wistfully about what could have happened had he done this...said that...not done this...

"Mr Bakura?" Miss Valentine snapped. The white-haired boy had been staring into space for at least half an hour, and while the woman didn't particularly enjoy teaching, she wasn't about to waste her time with people who weren't even listening.

"My lesson is NOT an excuse to have a nap! Unless you want a detention, you'll read me all your notes. NOW!"

Ryou stood and, true to form, delivered a perfectly acceptable set of notes. The class scowled in unison, having been hoping for a page full of crap, resulting in an angry lecture that they could gossip about later.

Miss Valentine blinked, and then sat down, her tight pinstriped skirt riding up dangerously high. The boy reminded her of a particularly unpleasant student that had been in her class a few years back. She could still remember the looks he would give her; like she was an amoeba to his god.

"You can all go." She said wearily. She was dying for a coffee.

The class erupted from their seats like a gang of birds scared by a furious cat.

"Nice one, man." Joey guffawed, elbowing Ryou in the ribs. He half smiled, unsure as to whether the elbow had been a friendly gesture or an accident due to the tidal wave of students they were crushed inside, and then escaped into the corridor.

As soon as the majority of the class had gone, Ryou took out his phone.

To: Malik Ishtar

_Where are you? You know, you can get into real trouble for skipping school._

From: Malik Ishtar

_You know exactly where I am. Get over it. _

Ryou scowled. That was a totally unfair reaction to some friendly advice.

To: Malik Ishtar

_Akefia isn't the only thing that matters in the world._

From: Malik Ishtar

_Yes, he is. Well, bar you._

Ryou had to re-read that message a few times. What he got from it was faintly concerning.

_Is he obsessive, or something?_

After that, Ryou resolved to be nicer to him, and to stop being so possessive.

Fighting wouldn't do anyone any good - Malik was his only real friend, after all.

* * *

><p>The whole day passed, and Malik didn't show. Ryou left school alone, a greyish sleet dribbling down from the leaden sky and settling on him.<p>

"Ew." He muttered, dragging his feet through puddles which reflected his disgruntled expression perfectly. He arrived home soaked through, and entered the kitchen to find it in a state of chaos. Random cans and boxes of food were piled precariously on every possible surface, wobbling and teetering dangerously.

"What's happened?" He asked, shutting the door. The sleet on his clothes melted instantaneously.

Gail, their usually calm maid, was kneeling on a kitchen counter, searching frantically through a cupboard of tins. Ryou dashed over just in time to catch a collapsing pile of cannellini beans, wasabi and chicken soup.

"Your mother happened." Gail said wretchedly, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Ryou sighed, placing the rescued items down on the countertop. "What did she do?" He was well aware that his mother treated the young woman less than pleasantly at best.

"She's asking for some peach gateau for dinner tonight. Some oil baron is coming to eat and she wants four courses and champagne with 6 hours notice... but I can't find the god-damned peaches!"

Ryou suddenly had a thought. A particularly nice sandwich he had eaten a few weeks back. Bananas, crème fraiche, raspberry jam and...tinned peaches.

_Oops..._

"Don't worry, Gail. I'll go buy you some more." Ryou offered, thinking that having to face the disgusting weather again was a fair enough price to pay for his greed.

"Really? Oh, Ryou, you're the best." Gail said, relief flooding her face.

"I'm not, but thanks."

Ryou turned to leave again, thankful that he hadn't bothered to take his coat off yet.

"Thanks, Ryou!" Gail called again, as he disappeared into the grey outside.

* * *

><p>Luckily for Ryou, by the time he'd located the tinned peaches and other essential items in the Domino Store the sleet had stopped falling, leaving the streets damp and shiny. He swung his shopping bags as he walked, in time to the music of cars rushing past and birds squawking in the ashen sky. Every other shop window twinkled with Christmas lights and gaudy tinsel. As he crossed the busy high street, he saw Marik sitting on the wall overlooking the river. He stopped walking.<p>

_Is that Marik?_

He looked again, squinting. Halo of blonde spikes, dark skinned, tall. All alone.

_Yep. That's definitely him_.

_Should I say hello? _

_Yes, obviously! _

_..._

_Just do it, you idiot. _

The waiting cars starting beeping furiously, their owners no doubt spitting obscenities behind their windscreens. Ryou apologised fervently and scampered across to the safety of the pavement, limping slightly on his just-about-intact ankle. Narrowly avoiding stepping right into a deep puddle, Ryou approached Marik. He apparently hadn't noticed the road rage going on next to him.

"Erm...hi?" Ryou said, still a few metres away from Marik. He was wearing greenish hospital scrubs, and Ryou privately decided that he was the only person in the universe capable of making them look good. Still, he was a million miles away, staring out across the river.

"Marik?"

The man jumped at the sound of his own name and turned. His eyes flashed with recognition.

"Hey." Marik said, smiling slightly. Ryou noted with some concern that Marik didn't look particularly _well_; his eyes were bloodshot with dark shadows, and he definitely looked pale beneath his tan. Ryou decided it would probably be best not to mention it. He'd probably just had a rough shift at the hospital.

"How are you?" Ryou asked. _There. I said it._

"Alright, I guess." Marik said. This barely passed for a white lie, but Marik wasn't particularly fussed about that. "Where've you been all this time?"

"Oh. Um... school?" Ryou smiled weakly.

_Was that a reference to the fact that I didn't even attempted to initiate any kind of meeting?_

"I won't kiss you next time, if that's what's the problem is." Marik said, deadly serious.

"No!" Ryou yelped, then flushed. "I mean...that wasn't what I... that was fine. I mean, that was nice, if that's what you..." He trailed off at Marik's expression.

"Would you care to explain what the hell you just said?" Marik said, blatantly suppressing laughter. His eyes had warmed considerably.

"Can I have your number this time?" Ryou blurted, his face glowing. Marik burst out laughing. It was a manically, frighteningly, deliriously happy sound, and it made Ryou's heart bounce.

"If you want," Marik said when he'd recovered. "It's 09257 36452710."

"Wait, say that again. And slower this time. Please." Ryou had found a pen in the pocket of his coat and was struggling to remove it. Marik reached over and took it for him.

"Thanks." Ryou said, readjusting his bags. Marik took Ryou's hand and wrote the numbers in a big, wobbly script on the inside of his wrist.

"Can you read that? Writing was never my forte."

"Yes. It's fine." Ryou smiled, looking down at it. Marik dropped the pen into one of the shopping bags. Again, Ryou noticed the ring, the L, but held his tongue.

"You should probably go. You've got a deadline, right?"

Ryou glanced up. "How do you know?"

Marik smiled. "The way you speed-walked down the high street. It was impressive."

"Yes. Well, um, bye." Ryou shifted from one foot to the other, not keen to leave.

"See you." Marik glanced around. "Want a kiss?"

"Erm... I..."

"Okay then. Maybe next time." He got up from the wall and started to leave.

"I do!" Ryou said finally. Marik turned, amused.

"We're not getting married yet. Like I said, maybe next time."

Frowning, Ryou looked away. He began walking slowly in the direction of home, half wishing that Marik would grab him from behind in a Malik-type embrace.

_Did I just reject him? _

"Stay happy, Ryou!" he heard Marik call.

_I guess not. _

Ryou glanced down at his wrist, saw the numbers, and felt happy. He just about managed to restrain himself from skipping down the street, and settled with humming.

* * *

><p>Marik kicked at a discarded can and laughed to himself.<p>

_How marvellous, how happy it must be, to be Ryou. To look at me and not see the mad. To look at Akefia and not see the sad. To look at Malik and not see the bitch._

Marik had seen all these things the first time he'd met them.

In just one conversation he'd read Malik. His entirely insincere apology. His defensiveness, only to start an argument. 'I'm not a hooker', he'd said. He didn't care what reply Marik gave. He just wanted someone to fight with.

Marik wandered through the park, following the familiar wail of ambulances towards the hospital. He preferred the park in winter; there were less little kids to trip over, less people to stare at him and try to work out what was going on behind his eyes.

Akefia's eyes had told him everything. He'd seen it in the way he moved, in his arrogance, his vanity. The way he did his hair, all over one side. The way he lived, all by himself, to wallow in his own regret and his mask of promiscuity. He was miserable. Lonely. No one else seemed to notice, and it was hard to convince them of it.

"Marik. What a nice surprise."

_Speak of the devil. The man himself. _

Akefia smiled in the way he always did when he was about to say something cruel.

"So, you and him, hmm?"

"Who?"

"Ryou Bakura."

"Yes. And what?" Marik smiled dangerously, catching Akefia's eye.

"He's weak. He told me he didn't know you and you weren't a couple."

_Akefia, you silver tongued bastard. _

"Quit stirring, Touzouko." He growled, dropping his smile instantly.

"Touchy-touchy. I'm not stirring. That's what bitchy schoolgirls do. I'm trying to help you."

"I don't need your help." Marik raised his chin defiantly. He held a deep loathing for this particular part of Akefia; the manipulator, the mind-fuck.

"Of course you don't. That's why you came crying to me when..."

"You dare." Marik's voice was so dark, so cutting, that Akefia knew he'd overstepped.

_Perfect. _

"I remember that night." Akefia said, smiling wickedly.

"I don't. I don't remember a lot from then. Everything was so...boring."

"Wasn't boring for me. It was fucking terrifying."

"Not my fault. Not my problem. Why are you bringing this up anyway?" Marik narrowed his eyes. Akefia's face was flawlessly innocent.

"I get bored too." He said, shrugging. "Shop's closed. No one to have sex with. Nothing to do."

"Here's something to do: Go to hell!"

"Bit hot for me, personally. Remember when you puked on my floor?"

"No. Presumably, that wasn't one of my greatest moments."

"Oh, it was. Way to make an impression." Akefia laughed. "I only knew you from the photo."

Marik frowned. He had a feeling he was being made fun of. "What photo?"

"The photo you posted through my door with that note."

"Oh. That." Marik felt slightly nauseated at the memory. "Let's not go there."

"What was going through your head, man?"

"As far as I can remember, not much."

Akefia touched one of Marik's earrings fondly. "It was like you were trying to wake yourself up, when you got these done."

The blonde gave a strange smile; Akefia could be sweet when he felt like it.

"You know it." He said, pushing Akefia's hand away. "Time for work. Don't get bored, now."

"So, you _are_ with that kid?" Akefia confirmed

"I sure hope so. And you're with that other kid. Malik. Pretty name, pretty face. Pretty young, too."

Akefia snorted derisively. "I think I still have the upper hand. Ryou knows_ nothing_ about _anything_ about_ you_."

Marik thought for a second, and then shook his head. "No you don't."

"What?"

Marik looked away, grinning. "Have the upper hand. I know why you wear your hair like that. Malik doesn't." He flicked his tongue lewdly on the L of Malik's name.

"You wouldn't..." Akefia said lowly.

"You wanna bet?" Marik took a step closer to Akefia, daring him to flirt. "You know what I am. I can't be trusted. I just don't know when to stop."

"Watch your step, Marik."

"Aw, but Akefia, we're friends, right? And friends keep each others' secrets."

By now, the two men were standing chest to chest, Marik staring Akefia down with his dancing indigo eyes. To a bystander, they might have looked like they were going to kiss. Either that, or start punching each other. Both of those were options for the enigmatic pair, who were quite content to walk the line between friends and bitter rivals. Always on the line. Never quite sure which side the other was swaying towards.

Eventually, Akefia cracked.

"Fine. I won't tell him anything."

"I knew you wouldn't." Marik was carelessly delighted.

"I can still do it, though." Akefia said warningly, raising an eyebrow. Sometimes, Marik was too brazen for his own good.

"So can I." He grinned, all teeth.

_And too fucking clever._

"You'd better keep your side of the bargain, or I swear to God, I will cut your tongue out."

"Touchy-touchy." Marik laughed as he walked away, all long, slender limbs and wild hair. "Touzie, you know you're more than just a pretty face."

"Of course."

"You're a very pretty face!"

A few paces on and their laughter drove the birds from the trees.

In the end, what could they do but agree?

* * *

><p>By the time the stars had chosen to reveal themselves and the horizon had lost the umber sheen of evening, Ryou was allowed downstairs. The hallway reeked of his mother's guest's expensive cologne, and Ryou wished it were summer so he could throw open a window and not risk hypothermia.<p>

"Ryou!" His mother's voice split into his thoughts like glass shards. "Come and eat!"

At the table sat his mother, disapproving, and much to Ryou's surprise, his father.

"Um...hello!" Ryou stammered, shocked. "Father." He added hastily after receiving a pointed stare from his mother.

"Where've you been then, son? Studying hard?" His father laughed, standing. "Of course you have! You've always been the studious type."

Mr Bakura was tall and broad, his face covered in the laughter lines that his wife so lacked. But behind the smiles and the charming facade was an unreliable wanderer of a man, who viewed the world with a childishly idealistic taint.

To him, Ryou was the perfect son, and his mother the perfect wife. It was lucky he was never there to see the reality.

Ryou sat down and began to eat, without really tasting anything. As much as the food was delicious, his father's surprise visit had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

_Drop in whenever you feel like it. I don't mind. And feel free to make assumptions about my lifestyle._

"...could be worth millions. We've got bidders from every major city after them. They were in an undiscovered temple, see, and the historical societies are desperate to get their hands on them. Think, a new era of history! Who wouldn't want to be a part of it? My colleague..."

Mealtimes had always been a special kind of torture for Ryou.

"I've got me a new apprentice. A young lad called Ray."

"What a name." Ryou's mother scoffed.

"You know, I think he might be... you know... _that way_." His father looked to Ryou furtively, as though this titbit of information could turn him instantly. Ryou looked away, willing the conversation to change topic.

"Good grief. It seems every other child these days is. It's disgusting, that's what it is."

"It's all a phase. We're lucky in our family not to have had to deal with it! Though who knows? If you ever take a fancy to men, Ryou, you let me know, eh?" Ryou's father guffawed at the absurdity of the idea while Ryou stared down at his now empty plate, subconsciously covering the numbers on his wrist.

This subject didn't often come up, but when it did, the awkwardness was unbearable.

"I'm sure Ryou isn't remotely interested in that aspect of our society, thank goodness. And that would be because I raised him properly." Ryou's mother said sternly, putting an end to her husband's raucous behaviour.

"You're quite right."He said, straightening up and opening a newspaper, on the front cover of which Maximilian Pegasus was being sued for embezzling company funds.

As soon as could be considered polite, Ryou asked to be excused.

* * *

><p>Over in the Ishtar household, dinner was also being conducted. For Malik, this consisted of a series of carefully executed movements through the house, making sure that when you were eating, Aaron was nowhere to be seen, for fear of being bombarded with appetite destroying comments about every aspect of your personal life, physical appearance and mental capacity.<p>

Tonight's gourmet menu consisted of a slice of bread and an apple, which Malik ate standing up against the fridge, cold linoleum chilling him from his bare feet upwards. After he'd eaten, he pushed his hands into his pockets, deeply unsatisfied. Malik Ishtar liked sweet things. He liked caramel and chocolate and cotton candy. They made him feel like a child.

He found and ate a handful of Ishizu's birthday chocolates, pretending he was somewhere else.

* * *

><p>In his solitary flat, Akefia wasn't eating; food had never been of much interest to him. He had always preferred going hungry to feeling sleepy and leaden and sluggishly bloated, glutted like an engorged snake. Instead, he drank black coffee with as much sugar as he could stir in, and sat in his armchair like the great ruler of a long abandoned kingdom. He watched a spider spin its gossamer in a corner of the ceiling, its shadow twitching in the low light of his floor lamps.<p>

He liked the ambience, but that didn't change the fact that it was all so fucking solitary.

He felt hunger prickle in his gut, and smiled to himself.

_Nothing is a better distraction from want than want._

* * *

><p>Marik rolled the grapefruit between his two hands; it was pleasantly yellow against the table, smooth against his palms. He took a knife and split it down the middle. Its juice swelled and ran, tear-like, from the incision. He pulled it open, saw the shock of white pith and filmy membranes and pale flesh and ugly little seeds. He removed them with surgical precision, made a pile, rearranged them into a smile, then scattered them. The pith and skin, which made satisfyingly organic noises when they were pulled away, were thrown aside like entrails.<p>

Marik ate the grapefruit, raw and cold and sour, with his hands. He'd turned off the heating, so the flat was frigid. Marik was shirtless, but somehow immune to the cold. A merciless rain was rattling against the windows, fat drops chasing one another down the icy glass.

The wall clock said 12.23, but Marik couldn't sleep. He was doing everything to resist it. Even as he relented and retreated to his bedroom, closing the door on himself, he couldn't do it.

He turned out all the lights, but this just made him alert. A nocturnal creature by nature.

He sat, cross legged in the middle of his bed and listened to the springs bounce and creak, like he were nightmaring or having urgent sex. When he lay back the springs pressed up against his skin like small hands.

Marik twisted the ring around and around his finger like a rosary. He sang quietly to himself; songs he remembered. He thought back on his day. Akefia and Ryou and hospitals...

He didn't want to think on the hospital. Not today.

_Not after how she looked at me._

He thought back to Ryou, a worthy distraction.

He traced Call Me in the air with one finger. Then Ryou. Over and over.

Marik became suddenly and irrevocably aware of a warmth building slowly behind his navel; a warmth so familiar and yet always so strange. Marik, in his world of drifting strangers, does not often feel. He likes it.

He froze, arms outstretched as if to a watching ghost or a god, half listening from above. The warmth rose up to fill his chest cavity. Played around his lungs. Pressed on his winter chilled heart.

Marik's eyes glinted in the darkness, glowing some internal silver, and he smiled.

Then he dropped his arms. Placed his hands low on his bare stomach.

The warmth became heat.

And Marik played out his own lonely lullaby.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's it for now...<strong>

**I hope things are getting at least a little bit more interesting, but the good stuff is coming up soon, I swear! **

**Got a review for me?**

**Kal277x**


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